Realisation
by Valere001
Summary: A few months in the life of Aaron and Jackson, five years into their relationship.
1. Chapter 1

_Realisation_ is a story idea that came to me after reading a particularly beautiful part in one of GinnyNoTonic's stories. It was supposed to be short, a one-chapter thing, but it evolved and became a full story of its own.

Many thanks to Mererid (friendoftheearth) for her advice and excellent suggestions and ideas.

In _Realisation_, Aaron and Jackson have been together about five years, the accident didn't happen and Aaron is a more mature young man, comfortable with being gay and, of course, madly in love with Jackson.

/

When Aaron and Jackson came out of Bar West, the night was warm, the stars were out and they felt good. They had just had a great night out with their friends Mark and Brian, they had a few pints and some good games of pool. Well, the games were good for Jackson who managed to be victorious over Aaron in three games out of five. Aaron blamed his poor performance on the fact they hadn't played in a while. Had lost his touch, he said.

Mark and Brian had left Bar West about twenty minutes ago. As Aaron and Jackson were standing on the pavement, trying to decide if they were going to take a taxi or the bus to go back to Emmerdale, Aaron was suddenly distracted by noises coming from the alley next to where they were standing. The noises were muffled, interspersed with cries. He clearly heard the words, "No! Stop! Stop!" Then he heard a weak voice call for help.

"Jackson, something's going on over there. Let me go check it out."

"Just a minute, will you?" Jackson said, grabbing his arm. "Is this really a good idea?" He could see Aaron was intent on going to check things out and it didn't seem he was going to be able to top him. "Just… be careful, Aaron." He sighed, realising how useless his warning was going to be! "Never mind, I'm coming with you," Jackson replied, worried Aaron was going to get hurt.

Aaron and Jackson walked into the alley and with the light that was there, they could distinguish a big bloke beating up a much smaller young man who was slouched into a bunch of rubbish bags. The assailant was relentless. "Here you go, you little shit faggot," he snarled as he delivered another punch. "That'll teach you to be a man, you goddam queer. You're disgusting!" Those last words were delivered along with more punches and kicks. The young man's cries were now barely audible.

Aaron had seen and heard enough. He ran toward the two and as he approached, he grabbed a rubbish bin that was by the building and, holding onto the handle tightly, he came from behind and swung it with all his might against the attacker's left upper arm. The impact was so hard that the bloke flew sideways, and as he fell to the ground, he was holding his arm, screaming in pain. His arm was probably broken, but Aaron didn't care.

"Call for help," he yelled to Jackson.

People had started to gather upon hearing the commotion. Aaron wasn't aware of them as he was now trying to help the young man to his feet, but he found he was barely responsive. He was badly shaken, bleeding from the nose and the mouth. He looked in bad shape. He had difficulty breathing with the punches his attacker had delivered to his body and to his head. While Aaron was trying to help him, the attacker managed to get up and he was coming after him, enraged by Aaron's interference. He was furious. As he approached Aaron, he made a move to grab him by his coat. He could only use his right arm since the left one was out of commission. But he was a big guy, taller and much stronger than Aaron.

"Who the hell are you?" he demanded as he shoved him roughly against the building. Aaron looked into his eyes and saw raw anger, pure fury, he had a crazed look that was very scary. He tried to push him back and was about to use his fists when the guy suddenly kneed him in the stomach. Aaron was momentarily winded and he doubled over. He was trying hard to stay focused. That's when the guy delivered another kick to the side of his body. It sent Aaron flying, his left foot catching in pallets that were piled close by. He ended up twisting his knee and falling on it as he crashed to the ground.

Aaron couldn't get up, he was in agony now, but he could see the bloke coming towards him again, intent on making another move, when he suddenly stopped in his tracks. Both of them looked up and saw four men walking kwickly in their direction. Jackson was with them. The attacker thought better than continuing his assault on Aaron and turned around, about to start running up the alley. He was quickly chased by the four men who soon caught up with him. They pushed him to the ground and held him there with a knee to his back and a foot on his face. In the meantime, Jackson had called the police who arrived quickly and took over.

The young victim was slowly coming to, he was shaking. He was in obvious pain and holding on to his sides. When Jackson was done speaking to the emergency services, he noticed Aaron on the ground and rushed over to help him get up. He had scratches on his face and cuts on his hands from the fall against the pallets and on the ground.

"Aaron, are you alright?" Jackson asked, worried.

"My leg hurts like hell but I should be OK," he said, wincing as he tried to get up. He quickly realised he couldn't stand up on his own or put any weight on his leg.

"How's the lad doing? Can you help me get to him?" Aaron was worried about the young man. He looked a bit like him when he was younger. He couldn't be any more than 18 or 19 years old. He was in bad shape but one of the officers was talking to him. Daniel, the night manager from Bar West, had come out, having been alerted to what had happened behind his building. He had a first aid kit with him, but on seeing the condition of the lad, he decided to wait for the paramedics to arrive and he made sure the lad was comfortable.

Jackson bent down so that Aaron could put his arm around his shoulder. He then put his arm around Aaron's back and they managed to stand up together. Once Aaron was up, he supported himself on Jackson and the two of them made it to where the lad was, Aaron hopping along.

"Are you alright?" he said to the young man. "My name's Aaron, by the way,"

The young man was still quite disoriented, he was so scared, and he was gasping with the pain he was feeling. "My… my name's Ray," he said in a halting voice, "Thanks for helping me."

This was the second or third time Ray had come to Bar West. He was still trying to come to grips with his coming out and was hoping to connect with someone at the bar. It's what most young men in his situation would do. But somehow, this hadn't been a good night for him.

He looked at Aaron and then at the police officer who had stepped aside to let the paramedics do their work; they had just arrived. "This guy, he just came after me when I left the bar. He started calling me names and shouting at me. I was scared, I didn't know what to do, so I walked faster to get away from him, but then he walked even faster behind me." Ray was breathless, he was starting to get panicky as it all came flooding back. "When we reached the alley, he grabbed my coat and dragged me in here and started hitting me. I tried to escape but he pushed me back, I lost my balance and fell into the bags. He kept hitting and calling me names and insulting me." He was trying to recall the events for the officer, but after that point, he really didn't know what happened. That's when Aaron had come to his rescue.

The night manager had taken note of Aaron's involvement and thanked him for what he did. The other four men came back to the street after the police arrested the attacker. They chatted a bit with Aaron, realising what he had done and congratulating him on his swift reaction, saying it was brave, considering the size of the guy. The attacker was quite big, probably around 250 pounds, and tall. But when Aaron came swinging with the bin, he didn't pay attention to that, he just knew he had to get him off that young lad who was being pounded so violently.

In his mind, he didn't want to get involved in a fight. He was now past the time when he would use his fists to deal with a situation, but this was different. This was someone attacking another person, and from the looks of it, the fight didn't seem fair. No matter what the reason was, he thought, nothing could justify that kind of violence. The lad needed help and Aaron knew he had to do something, and quickly. Who knows, it could have been him a few years back. No matter how good he was with his fists, his adversary in this case would have been much bigger than him and he would likely have lost the fight.

The paramedics came to check on Aaron's leg and the cuts on his face and hands. Noticing he couldn't stand on his leg, they pulled a stretcher and layed him on it, proceeding to immobilise his leg. Even that simple procedure made Aaron wince and let rip a few choice words that turned the air blue. Jackson noticed his reaction to the pain and became worried. He realised something was definitely wrong. Aaron was usually a tough nut but seeing that the simple movements involved in immobilising his leg hurt him that much, he figured his condition might be worse than expected. He didn't say anything, not wanting to worry Aaron. The paramedics loaded the two lads in the ambulance. One of the paramedics stayed in the back with the two patients and Jackson who was allowed to accompany Aaron.

Once at the hospital, they had to wait several hours before Aaron was seen. His case was obviously not as urgent as some of the others that came in. And Ray was in much worse shape, they took him in immediately, especially since he had lost consciousness during the ambulance trip.

Aaron had been lying on the stretcher for a few hours now, bored out of his mind. Good thing Jackson was there to keep him company. Aaron was clearly worried and Jackson could see it on his face, in his eyes.

"You were miles away, Aaron. What's on your mind?"

"I'm just thinking about this lad, how things could have turned for him. Why was this guy so intent on hurting him? What could have happened to make him hit Ray repeatedly like that? I mean, he was so big next to him, we both know it wasn't a fair fight. What was the point of that?" Aaron was angry, anxious.

"Why so much violence?" he continued, sounding really saddened by this event. "There had to have been something wrong with that man." As he was saying that, he turned his head to look into Jackson's deep, brown eyes, where he knew he could find comfort and reassurance.

Jackson returned his look, eyebrows raised in surprise at the seriousness of his question, at this Aaron he had not seen before. He knew Aaron's past and all, but still, he had changed a lot over the past years and Jackson was so very proud of him. He was calmer, so much more restrained, in control. He could still get hot under the collar, but he wouldn't use his fists now. That wasn't his way anymore.

Aaron realised how much his boyfriend was surprised by his question and he quickly added, "I know, I've reacted with my fists before, but there were good reasons for it. Well, they were good at the time," he said, chuckling. "But this, I just don't get it."

"I don't get it either, Aaron, but that's what it is. And you were incredibly brave to do what you did, not to say… maybe… a bit foolish. I mean, did you see the size of him? I was worried when I saw you go, but there was no stopping you!"

"I'm glad it worked out the way it did. Could have been worse, but from the moment I saw them, I knew I had to do something." Jackson was very proud of his boyfriend and the look he gave him said as much.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

The day after the Bar West incident, the _Hotten Courier_ had reported on the attack. It appeared the attacker was a mentally unstable individual with a history of schizophrenia and violence. He was on unescorted leave from a forensic hospital. The reporter had asked how someone with such a history of mental illness and violence could be out on unescorted leave. Management was unable to answer that question. It seemed to have been an administrative error.

Over the following days, the newspaper had been flooded with letters to the editor. Overall, people were outraged at the ineptitude of the forensic institution staff, yet they tempered their criticism when talking about the attacker, basically saying he wasn't playing with a full deck of cards and that it might be viewed as a mitigating factor. It didn't change the fact that he was a dangerous person who should never have been out, unsupervised, in public. Most everyone felt sorry for the young victim. There were some writers who, of course, thought it was only what he deserved for being such a depraved homosexual who lived against God and the Scriptures. This should teach him a lesson, some writers claimed.

The fact that the attacker was mentally ill was small comfort to Ray. At least, he was able to reassure himself, ever so slightly, with the fact that the victim could have been anyone. It just happened to be him. Well, that was small comfort.

Ray stayed in hospital for several days. His condition was such that they thought it better to keep him for observation. He suffered cracked ribs and a slight concussion, in addition to the many bruises covering his face and body. He could barely move without wincing.

Ray was supposed to start college in September. Since this was June, he figured he should give himself some time to think and determine if he could actually start his classes. He had been looking forward to it. He had been accepted in an art program that was well-rated and he was hoping to learn as much as he could and develop his talent as an artist. He had been drawing and painting since he was about twelve and he just loved it. The program would help him develop as a professional artist and maybe offer some opportunities for commercial art or even commissions.

Right now, he felt discouraged and fearful, normal reactions to what had just happened to him. Coming out to his parents had been fairly difficult. It was what every young gay man dreaded most. Telling his secret to a few close and trusted friends had been a beginning, then came time to face his parents. He had been terrified at the thought of saying the words, even if he knew his parents were quite open and liberal. But how liberal were they? Well, he was about to find out; in the end, they were very supportive. Not that he was surprised, but he was very relieved. Even his dad, who he thought might have some reservations, simply smiled at him. "You're our son, Ray, and we will always love you", he had said. "But that doesn't mean we won't worry about you."

They had said they would worry about his safety, about his happiness. Would he find a decent boyfriend, someone who would love him and commit to him? Would he be happy? What about his work? What about life in general? Well, what about everything? Parents are parents. They will worry no matter what!

He hadn't been able to answer all those questions just yet. However, he had tried to reassure them that he was careful when he went out. He even told them that he had visited a few gay bars, and that he made sure he left the places with other people, just so he wouldn't be a target. Well, what happened wasn't exactly what they needed to reassure them now, was it?

They had been at the hospital and stayed by his side the first nights. In the days following, his condition had improved significantly so they would come and spend the day and evening only with him. He was sleeping well and the nurses said he would be fine. Some of his friends also came to see him. It proved to be a little awkward at times, since this was the first time he'd be introducing some of his gay friends to his parents. But in the end, it all went well. The young men never stayed very long but they made sure he knew he could count on them if he needed anything. He had appreciated that. It had provided comfort and reassurance. It had also shown his parents that he had good friends, that they were people who cared genuinely for him.

After seven days, he was released from hospital and very happy to go home. He had to rest, especially because of the concussion and the cracked ribs. He was under strict orders to avoid effort and strenuous activities. Basically, do nothing for about the next three to five weeks!

He kept thinking about the incident and still felt fearful and apprehensive. Even in his situation, where the attacker was a sick person, he still felt some fear. It's easy to transfer that fear of someone who is sick like this guy, therefore being unable to use judgement, to some common homophobic prat who should know better. It's hard to get rid of the victim feeling. You start to imagine that you are a moving target, that anyone can come after you. A bit of paranoia sets in, but it goes away after a while, or so you hope. One of the hard realities of life is that once fear has taken hold like that, it's easy to become overly fearful.

About a week after returning home, he contacted Bar West to speak to the manager. Ray wanted to ask him if he knew the guy who had come to his rescue, he seemed to recall his name was Aaron. He didn't remember a last name. Ray was in a bad state at the time and he wasn't remembering things very clearly. He had also lost consciousness during the ambulance trip, and that had probably affected his memory a bit.

Ray wanted to thank him properly, maybe buy him a pint as a small sign of gratitude. How do you say thank you to someone who likely saved your life? Daniel, the manager that night, was not there when he rang but Ray got a call back as soon as he came in for his shift. Daniel asked how he was doing, he had been worried about him. It's hard to forget such sad, unsettling events. He wanted to make sure Ray was going to be okay.

Ray had reassured him. The concussion was not serious, the bruises would go away and the ribs would take their time to heal. Overall, it was just a question of being patient.

Daniel had taken down Aaron's name but he didn't have a phone number for him. All he knew was that he lived in Emmerdale.

"I'm sure if you go there and ask at the pub," Daniel had said, "they'll be able to tell you where he lives. I drove through Emmerdale a couple of times and the place is pretty small."

Now, that was a good idea. Not that springing a surprise visit on a stranger was the best thing, but since he didn't know his last name, he certainly couldn't find him in the phone book.

Before hanging up, Daniel added, "If you want a suggestion to thank him properly, you might want to consider nominating him for our Award for a Safer Gay Community. It's something we started a few years ago and I think Aaron would meet the criteria. Think about it and give me a call if you want to discuss it further."

Ray was excited by that suggestion. It would certainly be a great way to say thank you.

* * *

Aaron required a small operation to realign everything around his knee. His had dislocated bones and the kneecap had cracked when he hit the ground. The doctor couldn't do anything about the cracked kneecap. It would have to heal on its own, if it ever did properly, and in the meantime, he would have a slight limp because the movement of his knee was not as fluid anymore. They had put him in a cast for about a week and he had to use crutches. Needless to say, he was not a happy camper! After the crutches, he was told to use a cane for a couple of weeks to ease back into walking, and he needed physiotherapy to regain the strength he needed to walk properly.

Jackson had been very supportive, playing nurse at Dale Head, making sure his boyfriend and patient was well-looked after. Aaron had physio twice a week for several weeks and Jackson went with him to provide support and to cheer him up. Every Tuesday and Friday, they'd get up at 6 a.m., get a quick shower and breakfast, and be on the road by 7 a.m. so they could be at the clinic at 7:30. Rob, the physiotherapist, had made arrangements to meet him there early, so he and Jackson could return and be at work at a decent time. Rob was a tall, lanky guy with hands that would make your body go to jelly! He was a nice-looking bloke, dark hair and beautiful smile, and the boys actually enjoyed his company. He was very professional and knew how much he could push Aaron before he'd get some push back. In the end, Rob was the boss during these sessions and Aaron had to accept that.

As much as Aaron was proud and happy to have helped that lad, he was ennoyed at this aspect of his recovery. Physio at the clinic, exercises at home, walking with a cane, this was a serious pain in the neck. But Jackson made things easier.

"How's my patient today," he'd asked one morning as he woke up next to Aaron.

"He'll be so much better if he can get a kiss from the nurse on duty."

Jackson looked at him and laughed. "You are milking this for all it's worth, aren't you?"

"You bet, why wouldn't I when I have the best looking nurse in the county?"

"You're such a div, but I love you for it! Come on, time to get up. No physio today, but I need to get an early start on my work. Plenty to do today."

Aaron was not moving, he was feeling a bit down. For reasons Jackson didn't know yet, Aaron had had a problem with his condition. The crutches, the cane, the physio, the scar left on his knee by the operation, all of it had affected him, depressed him a bit, but he had not said anything to Jackson. He didn't want him to worry. He figured it would pass.

His concern was that by being in this condition, needing so much attention, maybe Jackson would lose interest in him, find him less attractive. He knew he was foolish to think like that but it was still there, in the back of his mind, nagging at him. Insecurities are hard to shake off forever.

"What's up babe, you're not getting up?"

"Feeling a bit tired, I'll stay in bed for a bit. Go on, I'll be alright."

Jackson looked at him, puzzled. He knew there was more to this than Aaron feeling a bit tired, but he wasn't sure what it was, and he wasn't about to push Aaron, not today.

"OK," he said in his most convincing tone, "but I want you to give me a call during the morning to let me know how you're doing. At least, text me."

"Fine, I'll do that," Aaron said before turning on his side and closing his eyes, trying to get back to sleep. Jackson kissed him on the forehead before leaving. A small smile appeared on Aaron's lips.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Four weeks had passed since Ray had come out of the hospital. He was getting extremely bored, so he decided to go to Emmerdale in an attempt to find Aaron.

He had his driver's licence, so he asked his parents to borrow the car for the day. It was Saturday, they didn't really need it, so they agreed.

"Drive carefully," his mum had said, "and take your mobile with you. Call us if you need anything." She was a bit worried. She knew he was fine to drive, since that was not a very tiring activity, it was certainly not overly physical, so he should be alright. But still, as a mother, she wanted to make sure he was going to be safe.

Ray had found his way quite easily. He parked the car not far from the Woolpack. He didn't know the place but since it was pretty small and had only one pub, it had to be it. Ray made his way inside and was greeted by Diane, the landlady.

"What can I get you, love," she said in a cheerful tone and with a smile.

"Nothing yet, thanks. But, I'm looking for someone, and all I know is his first name, it's Aaron. Do you know anyone by that name? I was told he lived here, in Emmerdale."

"Aaron Livesy. Of course I know him. Who doesn't!"

He wasn't sure what to make of that comment but since it was delivered with a smile, he didn't worry too much.

"Aaron works at the garage, just down the road, on the left. He should be there now. The place is usually open on Saturday mornings for a few hours. If you don't find him there, just come back here and we'll help you figure out where to find him."

That landlady was nice and helpful, he thought. He was struck by her friendliness. So, off he went, out of the Woolpack, on his way down main street Emmerdale. He found the garage on the left, and indeed, the gate was open and the doors were also open. There were two cars out in the forecourt, their bonnets up. There was a mechanic actually working under the bonnet of one of the cars.

Ray approached him, "Excuse me, I'm looking for Aaron Livesy. Would he be here?"

The mechanic looked up, saw the young man and turned toward the garage, "Aaron, someone here to see you," he said in a loud voice to make sure Aaron could hear him inside.

Aaron came out from the back, he had been sitting at the computer preparing invoices and doing paperwork. Ah, the joys of being co-owner of the business.

When he came out, he saw Ray and recognised him immediately. He greeted him with a big smile. He was both surprised and so pleased to see him. Aaron could still see some faint bruising on his face but it was his smile that got him. Ray seemed so happy to have found him. He noticed that Aaron was limping a bit but didn't think more of it.

Aaron approached him, "Alright, Ray? Here, I hope you won't mind this." As he got close to him, he took him in his arms and gave him a big hug. This was a surprise even for Aaron, it was so spontaneous, but he was just so happy to see him and to see he looked alright. He had been worried about the young lad. Ray responded warmly to the hug.

"I don't mind it at all," Ray had said.

Aaron was much more comfortable with himself now, and doing this in front of someone else didn't bother him the least. There was a time when it would have, but he had grown a lot since then. This was also a special occasion. He clearly remembered the circumstances of the night Ray was attacked, and he was truly happy to see him and to see he was looking and feeling alright.

In the distance, Edna Birch was walking down to the church. She slowed her pace and looked up to the garage. Her eyes seemed to have met Aaron's, but he didn't pay much attention to her. After a very brief moment, she turned away and continued walking.

"I'm really glad to see you," he told Ray while holding him. Letting go, he said, "You look OK but how are you feeling, really?

"I'm good," Ray said, a big smile on his face, "the bruises and cuts are almost gone, I am doing okay with the concussion and the ribs are almost healed. So, yeah, I'm pretty good."

Aaron took advantage of the pause in their conversation to introduce him to Rob, the mechanic to whom Ray had spoken earlier. He explained briefly how he had helped Ray while he was in a bit of a pickle one night a little over a month ago.

"A bit of a pickle?" Ray said. "You pretty much saved my life from a crazy monster who was beating the life out of me. That was more than a pickle!"

"Well, it was no big deal. I was there at the right time, that's all." Aaron was being modest. He didn't want the fuss.

Rob noticed Aaron's modesty in all of this. He looked at Ray, "Really nice to meet you, Ray, and I'm glad you're feeling better. Aaron is playing it down here, but I know he can be quite helpful when he wants," Rob added in a teasing way. "He actually told us about you, and after seeing the newspaper articles, I agree with you, it was more than a pickle! I'm glad you're alright."

Ray turned to Aaron, "I was hoping I could buy you a pint or maybe lunch and have a chance to talk a bit and say thank you. Between the alley and the ambulance, I was mostly out of it but I remember you talking to me then not much else. All I know is that you saved my life and… well, I just want to say thank you."

"You don't have to, anyone would have done the same thing," Aaron said, trying again to get away from the attention.

"I know I don't have to but, I want to. It would mean a lot to me. Please?"

"Alright. I'll meet you at the Woolpack at noon. That'll give me about a half hour to finish here, clean up and meet you."

"Great, see you then."

* * *

Ray took advantage of the free time to go to the shop and browse the cards they had on offer. He managed to find one that had an appropriate thank-you message and a decent picture on it.

Aaron had left the garage on his way to Dale Head to clean up before he'd meet Ray. However, he had to nip over to the shop to get something. On his way back, Edna was walking back up the street.

"Mr. Livesy?" she called.

Oh, oh, what have I done now, Aaron thought.

"Yes, Mrs. Birch," he said as he turned to face her. He was being polite, there was no reason not to be. He was in a good mood and Edna Birch was not about to ruin it.

She looked at him for a moment as if wondering what she was about to say. Aaron really didn't know what to expect. He hadn't done anything to upset her, in fact he hadn't seen her in quite a while, except about fifteen minutes ago when he saw her on the road. He was hugging Ray at the time, and he remembered how their eyes had met, but her face had remained neutral. Actually, there was almost a faint smile on it at the time, instead of her usual sour, uptight look.

"I… I saw you earlier embracing that young lad."

"That was Ray, maybe you saw the papers a while ago." Aaron wasn't sure she'd remember.

"Yes, I know who he is, from his picture in the paper. Awful thing. All I wanted to say was…" she paused for a bit, as if she was searching for words, hesitating before saying something she thought was important. "All I wanted to say was that… what you did was very brave and honourable. I'm proud of you."

"Thank you, Mrs. Birch." Aaron was taken aback by Edna's words, although very pleased by them. She usually avoided him like the plague, well she had for many years until the last few years. It seemed Aaron's behaviour had changed, his moods, his personality. Well, Aaron had changed considerably since he had met Jackson.

"I mean it, Mr. Livesy. Since you met Jackson, you seem to have changed a lot, for the better, of course," she added, just to be sure he understood she meant well. "You have become a respectable young man, and I just wanted to share that with you."

She was done. That was it. She had never been keen about Aaron Livesy, but it was true that he had changed a lot over the past few years, and since she felt he would likely not bite her head off or insult her, she had wanted to talk to him and give him that compliment. Today had proved an excellent opportunity after seeing him with Ray.

"Thank you, Mrs. Birch. That means a lot coming from you. And I'm not being sarcastic." He felt he needed to add those few words for good measure! After all, this was Aaron Livesy and Edna Birch having a civil conversation. "I know I've changed, and I'm glad people are noticing. I know I have been bad news for a long time, but you're right, Jackson has been a good influence on me." He delivered that last line with a big smile on his face. It showed he was proud of Jackson and of what they were. It actually made Edna smile.

As they were about to part, Aaron called, "Mrs. Birch?"

"Yes, what is it?"

Aaron paused before looking up at her. "I apologise for all those times I was rude to you. I really do."

Edna Birch didn't know what to do with herself! She lifted her head high, so proud of what Aaron had said, so pleased by it.

"Thank you, Mr. Livesy. That means a lot coming from you. And I'm not being sarcastic." She delivered that line with a smile tugging at her lips.

They looked at each other and smiled broadly. They knew this had been good, that it had repaired a lot of bad feelings. It was one of those rare moments in life when you felt really good about a brief exchange with someone. Especially when it happened between two people who have absolutely nothing in common, like Edna and Aaron.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

After picking up the card, Ray had walked over to the Woolpack and sat at one of the tables outside. He opened the card, thought for a while before adding his own wording, signed it and placed it back in the envelope. He'd give it to Aaron after lunch.

It was such a beautiful summer day. It was five to twelve. Aaron should be here any moment. Diane came out to see if anyone needed something, and she noticed the young lad.

"You alright?" she asked. "Did you find Aaron?"

"Yes, I did, thank you, Ma'am."

"Alright, young man, you're allowed one slip like that," she said in her most stern tone. Then, breaking into a smile, she said, "Next time, you call me Diane." Ray laughed at that. She was definitely a nice lady, he thought.

"Can I get you something?" she asked him.

Aaron and Jackson were coming from Dale Head, they were only a few feet behind Ray. The way he was sitting at the table, he didn't hear them coming up. "Yes, Diane, three pints, please, and he's paying," Aaron said in a cheerful tone, surprising Ray who turned around to greet him and Jackson.

Diane went back inside to get their drinks. The lads settled at the table.

"You remember Jackson, don't you?" Aaron said, wondering if, in the confusion and panic at the time, Ray had actually seen Jackson.

"I can't say I do, sorry. Really nice to meet you," he said, extending his hand to shake Jackson's.

Aaron saw that Ray was really not sure about having met Jackson, so he filled him in, telling him Jackson was his boyfriend, that he was the one who had called emergency services and had gone into Bar West to alert the manager.

"I am so glad to see you both and have a chance to say thank you. On that night, everything happened so fast, then there was the pain, the confusion, the fear, it was all a blur! Next thing I knew, I was waking up in a hospital, my parents at my side. It was all so confusing. And the pain everywhere," he said sadly, letting the words trail.

Jackson noticed how Ray's mood had changed slightly, so he thought he should move the conversation along. "Well, I'm glad Aaron got there when he did, because I don't want to think where you'd be if he hadn't followed his instinct." Jackson put his hand on Aaron's arm and added, "He's the one who actually heard your call for help and went down the alley. With the noise on the street, I hadn't heard a thing."

"Thank you, I'm really grateful. You're right. I don't want to think where I'd be today without your help. I still have flashbacks of the attack, I see his ugly, mean face, I feel the force of the punches all over my body. Sometimes, I wake up at night, in cold sweats, panicking and crying. I really hope it will eventually go away."

Aaron was immediately worried when he heard Ray say that. "I know it's none of my business, but have you thought about talking to someone about that? A counselor, maybe? It might help. You shouldn't keep those bad memories, you shouldn't let them hurt you like that."

"I don't know, really. I'll think about it."

He didn't sound very convincing. Listening to Ray, Aaron and Jackson really felt sorry for him. What a terrible experience. What a horrific way to start your life as a young man. They felt for him. They thought they should make sure he did seek counseling.

What Ray had said reminded Aaron of the night he laid into Paddy, hitting him and hurting him. The reasons were different, of course, but the result might have been the same. Maybe Paddy has had his own nightmares. Aaron was suddenly lost in that thought. It was now troubling him.

After a pause in the conversation, Ray suggested they get something to eat. He was starving. "Anything you can recommend?" he asked, "My treat."

Both Aaron and Jackson were ready for a meal. In the meantime, Diane had brought the pints in, so while she was there, they placed their orders, Jackson suggesting the chicken wrap as one of Marlon's best quick eats, of course with chips. "Marlon does great chips," he added.

After they had placed their orders, Aaron excused himself, saying he needed to go to the loo. As he walked up the steps into the entrance to the Woolpack, Ray noticed that Aaron was limping and using a cane. He was curious.

"What happened to him, did he hurt himself?"

"It happened the night of the attack, during the scuffle with the guy." Jackson thought he might as well fill Ray in, even if he didn't want to invade Aaron's privacy. "Aaron got hit and when he fell, he hurt his knee. He needed a small operation, he was out the day after, and he's been going to physio now, but he'll be fine. He had to use crutches for about a week and a half, you should have seen him! Now he's using a cane for a little bit. He limps more when he's tired. Anyway, best not to mention it."

Ray acknowledged that last comment with a nod. He felt bad about that. It was enough for Aaron to come to his recue, but being hurt in the process added to this whole terrible experience.

Aaron returned and they got back into talking about all kinds of things. They asked him if he had come out to his parents. Ray told them he had, and he told them about the visits at the hospital and how some of them were, well, a bit awkward. But Aaron and Jackson felt good about the fact his parents knew about him. It was important. Being gay is a big part of you and it's important that you can be yourself, especially with your parents. They spent a long, leisurely lunch hour. There was no rush, they had plenty of time to get to know each other and to enjoy their drinks.

"How long have you two been together, then?" Ray asked.

"Just about five years now," Aaron replied, beaming at Jackson. "This guy here," he said, leaning slightly into Jackson's shoulder, "is the most amazing man I know. He helped me come to grips with being gay and really helped me like myself. Quite an accomplishment!"

"Aaron is exaggerating a bit. We both made an effort and we both changed over time. He became less of a trouble-maker and I became more of a saint!"

"Oi, listen to that!" Aaron replied, shoving him in jest.

"You two look happy. You have no idea how nice it is to see that, for me to realise that two men can be so happy together. I mean, I know it can happen, I certainly imagine it in my mind, but to see it is different. It makes it real. I want to meet a nice bloke some day and move in together, have a life together."

"Don't worry, it will happen, and maybe sooner than you think," Aaron said.

"I hope so," Ray said, lost in that thought. "Listen, it's getting late, I should get back, my parents will start worrying about me. Before I go, can I take a picture of you two?" he asked, as he pulled his phone out of his pocket.

They agreed and struck a pose that was both funny and endearing. Two lovers who blatantly didn't care about who knew how happy they were. That was exactly the picture Ray was looking for. They were close, they were smiling. The best picture one could take.

"Listen guys, thank you for everything you did for me, especially you Aaron. I won't forget it."

Aaron and Jackson each took turn giving Ray a hug before he left. They exchanged mobile numbers in order to keep in touch. Jackson wanted to make sure he could follow up with him in a few weeks to make sure he did seek counseling.

"I hope we'll see you again," Aaron said.

"I think so," Ray said. Before walking away to his car, he gave Aaron the card he had bought. "It's not much, but it will do for now." Sitting in the car, ready to go, he waved at them, "See you soon."

Jackson looked at him driving away, thinking about what he had said… 'it will do for now'.

* * *

Upon returning home, Ray went to his room and started looking for the phone number for Daniel, Bar West's night manager. He had an important phone call to make.

* * *

It was late afternoon, they were lounging on the sofa, Aaron with his head resting on the arm and his legs stretched on Jackson's lap. Aaron had a can in his hand and Jackson was sipping a glass of red wine. There was some music playing in the background. The sun, coming through the living room window, was creating distorted shadows on the far wall, there was a light breeze and the air was warm. It was a perfect summer day.

Jackson was looking at his boyfriend who had his eyes closed but not because he was sleeping, he was just resting. He was simply relaxing and enjoying this quiet time with Jackson; they both relished these special moments.

Squeezing one of his legs, Jackson forced Aaron to open his eyes. They smiled at each other, but Aaron knew there was something on Jackson's mind.

"What is it?" he asked.

He knew Aaron could tell when there was something on his mind. "I was just wondering…" Jackson replied, "I was just wondering if you regretted what you did for what it caused you, you know, the limp and all the trouble."

"No, God no. Should I?

"No, of course not, but I was just curious about how your felt."

"I don't know. It's something that just happened. Could have happened in another way, could have been an accident at the garage. No, I'm OK. I mean, I'm really happy for what we did for Ray, otherwise he would probably be dead. I… I don't even want to think about that. I certainly don't regret having helped him," Aaron added. "Obviously, I don't like the limp I still got, but that's not really… what…" Turning his face slightly, avoiding Jackson's eyes, he let his words trail.

Jackson noticed how Aaron didn't finish his sentence. "What is it, Aaron? What is it you're not telling me? You know I'll get it out of you one way or another, you know that." He was looking at his boyfriend with his usual disarming smile, but Aaron was determined not to say anything right now. He had to work this out in his head first. He was not going to fall victim to his boyfriend's charm. It was going to be hard! So to make things easier for himself, right now, he was just going to close his eyes again.

"It's nothing, don't worry."

Jackson didn't believe him for a minute, but he knew Aaron would talk when he was ready. There was no point pushing him now.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

_Bit of a short one for you today._

* * *

Walking up to the forecourt, he saw that Cain and Rob were already in. He greeted them both and went straight to the back of the garage to make himself a brew. Rob was the bloke Cain and Aaron hired after Ryan had left. He was nice, straightforward, open-minded. Aaron had been relieved to realise that over time. Even though he was out and quietly proud, he still had some apprehensions about people looking at him the wrong way or saying the wrong things.

About a year ago, Aaron had bought half the garage with Cain, so they were now co-owners. He was a good mechanic and the business side of things interested him as well. His mother has a business degree, so he could always talk to her if he needed business advice. Cain was intrigued at first by his interest but had eventually agreed. Aaron knew doing business with Cain would be stressful at times, but he was willing to try it. He was his uncle after all, so things couldn't be that bad.

His day had started alright. It was warm and sunny, Jackson was off working on a new project just outside of Robblesfield. He grabbed his cup and came back outside to see what job was waiting for him. Turning around to go inside to get the work order, he lost his balance by inadvertently putting too much weight on his bad leg. His knee had twisted and it hurt like the son of a bitch! He let out a few choice words and became angry.

"What's up with you this morning?" Cain asked, looking at him with his signature icy glare.

"Nothing, I'm fine." He better not start, Aaron thought, he didn't need him on his case this early in the day.

"Well, if you're so fine, why the bad mood then?" He knew something was bugging Aaron, and he could probably guess what it was.

He knew about Aaron's knee. Since the incident behind Bar West and the operation, his left knee was a little stiffer and it caused Aaron to limp slightly. Nothing people would notice, really, but Aaron was very conscious of it, he was bothered by it in a way Cain couldn't explain yet.

"No reason." He spat the words out in a way that meant he wanted to be left alone. He took the work order, saw what needed to be done on that car and just started the job.

Mid-morning came along and it was time for the men to take a break. Aaron offered to make a brew for the other two and they said yes, but not before looking at each other wondering why he was suddenly so pleasant. They knew better than to wind him up though, so they left it.

"I'm starvin'," Rob said. "I could use a bacon butty, anyone else wants one?"

"Yeah, I'll have one, no brown sauce on mine, and bring one for Mr. Happy Face here. It's on me. Here's a tenner, and I want the change," he said with a smirk.

After Rob had left to go to the Café, Cain approached Aaron who was scooping up the coffee into the mugs, the water just about ready. He studied him a bit, knowing that if he approached the subject the wrong way, Aaron was going to clam up and just walk away. Or even better, he might get treated to one of Aaron's scowls. Mind you, the more he looked at him, the more he could feel that he had something on his mind.

"Wanna talk about it?" Cain ventured, his tone quiet, almost inviting.

"Talk about what?" Aaron was playing for time. He knew exactly where his uncle was going with that, he knew he wanted him to say what was on his mind. But how can you put into words your insecurities, your doubts, your fear that a flaw in your physical person would make your boyfriend lose interest in you, make you less desirable, less attractive to him? Because that's what was bothering him right now. It had been for the past few weeks. The operation had left a nasty scar just below his knee cap; it had caused him to limp occasionally when he was tired, and if he wasn't careful, like this morning, he could lose his balance by putting too much weight on his leg and turning his body too fast. He basically was worried that Jackson would start seeing him as less attractive. I mean, who wants a boyfriend with a limp and big scars? Well, Aaron was dramatising a bit, but all those thoughts were going through his mind.

"Why are you so testy about your leg? Since the operation, you're acting weird. The operation went well, you're walking fine, you can work, you can do all you want to do, I'm sure it doesn't hinder your performance in bed."

"Cain, shut up!" He didn't want him going there. What he did in his bedroom was not up for discussion, especially not with his uncle. Not that Cain would have ever taken it further than this comment, mind you, but still. Cain always managed to wind him up, not in a mean way because Cain had no reason to be mean to him, he liked his nephew very much, but sometimes, he just had that effect on him.

"What is it, then?" Cain was just going to ask that simple question, leave it to Aaron to answer.

Aaron wasn't sure if he should say anything. His uncle was a strange man sometimes. As hard and cold as he could be at times, he had an odd soft and friendly side to him that was endearing, well, to some extent, and he didn't show it to many people. He figured he could probably share something with him, just a bit, but he didn't want to open up and say too much. After all, this was his private life, his insecurities, his secret.

"It's just that… the operation left me with this scar on my leg and… and I limp, and… well, I don't know. Sometimes, I worry that… Jackson… you know…" He paused and then looked up at his uncle, trying to gauge him, wondering what he thought of him, of what he had said. Did he think he was an idiot, did he even know what he was talking about?

Cain was staring back at him, chewing on his gum, thinking about how to handle this in the most diplomatic way. After all, he wanted to save Aaron's feelings.

"You muppet, are you really worried Jackson will do one because he now lives with a cripple?"

"Cain!" Aaron was truly offended. He knew he was not a cripple, and in his mind that word was offensive. He wouldn't use it. He knew that much. It would be like someone calling him a queer or a poof. Those words hurt.

"Sorry, wrong word, but do you honestly think Jackson will think less of you because of that? That's not having much faith in your boyfriend now, is it?"

"I know, I'm being stupid."

"Damned right, you are. Aaron, your limp, as you call it, is barely noticeable. The scar is there and you'll have to live with it. Well, you can always go for plastic surgery," he said with a chuckle, "but I don't put you as the type. Jackson is not that shallow, trust me, and you should know that by now. Besides, you've already charmed the pants off him. Lord knows how you managed that with a mug like yours!"

"Oi!" Aaron said, a hint of a smile starting to show on his face. Cain's reassuring words made him feel better. His inner tension was released from his body, he could feel it in his face.

"I know for sure this is not going to change anything. Twinkletoes loves you way too much. Everybody can see that. Even Lizzie, for God's sake, and she blind."

"I know, I know, I'm being stupid. After all we've been through him and me, I should never doubt Jackson. Promise you won't tell anyone, yeah?"

Cain looked at him, smirking. "Fine, but you'll owe me a pint."

Aaron was relieved. It felt good to hear those words from Cain, even the insults, and it felt good to confirm that he was being foolish. Jackson was not someone to let him down because of a scar or a limp. Jackson had been by his side for the past few years, all through his stay at the hospital and during rehab after the operation. He really should know better.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

Aaron had been left preoccupied by Ray's comments about having nightmares after the attack. It troubled him. He immediately thought of Paddy and the night he came out to him, well, more like the night Paddy forced it out of him! At the time, Aaron was definitely not ready to admit he was gay, even to Paddy who was like a father to him.

In his mind, Aaron couldn't be gay, that was just not going to happen. But in his heart, something was missing. The company of girls was alright, but he wanted more, he needed more, he needed something different that would make him feel complete. He knew very well what it was, but he just wouldn't admit it to himself. At least not yet.

The night he admitted to Paddy that he was gay, Aaron had lost it. Paddy had been pushing, that's for sure. He had met Jackson who brought Aaron's phone back after Aaron had left it at "the pub", he had seen Aaron in front of a gay bar. Paddy had connected some of the dots. Actually, most of the dots, especially after he cleared out the misconception that Aaron was dealing drugs. Aaron had been adamant he was not dealing drugs and he had been pissed at Paddy for suggesting it.

Later that evening, after much talking and prodding on the part of Paddy, when he had pushed Aaron into his personal corner, Aaron had lost it and had lashed out at him, fists flying, Paddy falling, bruises being doled out generously. Afterwards, Aaron had been horrified by his reaction, by what he had done to Paddy. He was so sorry, he didn't know how to express it. He knew it was too late, but he still felt terrible about what he had just done and wanted Paddy to understand that, to believe him.

Now, Aaron was again thinking about that fateful evening and he wanted to find out if Paddy had had nightmares afterwards, if Paddy had suffered the psychological effects of his careless, brutal reaction. He wasn't really sure why he wanted to know, maybe he had suddenly realised his actions could have had consequences of some kind, maybe it was something Paddy might have kept from him. Paddy was the one person who had loved him no matter what. Even during the two days that Aaron had been gone after that evening, Paddy had kept texting and calling, pleading with him to come home. Yes, home. And it was home, Aaron knew that. But, at the time, Aaron's head and heart were in turmoil, he didn't know what to think or what to do. He knew very well that staying away was not going to solve things, so that's why he had come back. And Paddy had been so relieved to see him stepping off the bus.

Today, Aaron was home with Jackson. It was Tuesday night. He could text Paddy to find out what he was up to, see if he was home so he could go up to the Smithy to talk to him. Was he going there alone or was he taking Jackson with him? Big question. Actually, having Jackson by his side might make things easier. Well, he wasn't sure. He wasn't sure if he should do that by himself. Would that be keeping a secret from Jackson? It wasn't really a secret. Talking in private with Paddy was no more a secret than Aaron having a private chat with his mum.

"Aaron, what's going on?" Jackson enquired. "You've been staring at your phone for the past half hour, you're too quiet. Something's up, so out with it."

Aaron let out a big sigh then turned to Jackson. "Ever since Ray said he's been having nightmares about his attack, I've been thinking about Paddy and the night I came out to him, and beat the crap out of him." He explained his thinking and what he wanted to do. He also told Jackson that he was wondering if he should go by himself or with him.

"Aaron, that's a big thing," he said after having listened to what Aaron had to say. "I'm sure Paddy will appreciate your concern and I'm sure he'll understand why you want to know. It happened a few years ago now, but still. I am happy to go with you, but I won't say anything, this is between you and Paddy. And I'm fine with it if you want to go by yourself."

Aaron thought about it briefly and decided he wanted Jackson with him. After all, this had been an important chapter in his life, Jackson knew most of what had happened at the Smithy, so it would be fine if he was there. Even if Jackson was just sitting silently by his side, he knew he would be there and that would give him the strength he would need.

He texted Paddy to ask if he was home and if he could stop by, making sure to confirm that he was by himself. A reply came back quickly. Aaron and Jackson were soon on their way.

Aaron knocked lightly and then opened the door to go in, followed by Jackson. It was unusual for him to knock, but he felt he should. He didn't know why. He knew very well he was always welcomed there, even if they were now living at Dale Head.

"Hi guys, what's up?" Paddy said as he came in the kitchen to greet the pair. "I got your text, is something wrong?"

"No, nothing's wrong," Aaron replied quickly, trying to reassure the older man. "I just wanted to… ask you something." He knew there was nothing wrong with what he wanted to do, but he still felt very nervous about it. This conversation was going to bring back painful memories and he was going to have to deal with them.

"Well, come in and have a seat," he said, pointing at the chairs around the table. "I'll make us a cup of tea." He filled the kettle and switched it on. After dropping tea bags into cups he got out of the cupboard, he sat at the table with the boys.

"This is going to sound weird, especially now," Aaron started. He explained to Paddy the meeting that they had with Ray and what he had said about the nightmares. Aaron had hesitated before continuing but he was there for that, so he had to continue. The conversation would be good both for him and for Paddy.

"So… did… did you have nightmares after I beat you up?" Aaron was feeling almost sick asking that question, knowing what he had inflicted on Paddy and knowing how Paddy had felt afterwards because, Aaron being Aaron, he had done a runner. He could barely look at Paddy, still feeling shame for his behaviour.

"Oh, Aaron, don't worry about that, it's forgotten, you know that." Paddy was actually trying to avoid that conversation, he didn't know how to answer, he didn't really want to revisit that night. Well, not the bad parts of it anyway.

"Paddy!" Aaron said in his usual this-is-your-son-asking pleading tone. "I need to know."

"Alright," Paddy said, "I'll share this with you. I'm not very happy that you're forcing this out of me, but I suppose, if it's going to make you feel better."

"You should know about forcing something out of someone," Aaron retorted with a small smile.

"Fair enough. You made your point, son." He was eyeing him seriously now, occasionally glancing at Jackson who was sitting back, out of Aaron's field of vision. He knew what he was about to tell him was not going to be easy to hear. He felt he had to be honest. Aaron had been honest with him, they had agreed a long time ago not to keep secrets from each other. So he was going to tell him.

"I felt sore for a while, as you know, and I was worried about you. But no, I didn't have nightmares. Maybe it's because I knew you, because I knew where the punches came from, if you know what I mean. I knew it was you and not some random bloke. Not knowing where you were after you had left, not knowing if you were safe, that was worse than any nightmare I could have had. Not knowing how you were going to cope with admitting and accepting that you were gay was worse than any nightmare. You know why? Because I loved you, because I was worried about how you were going to cope."

Aaron was listening intently. He was particularly noticing specific bits of what Paddy was saying, such as when he had called him 'son' earlier, that had pleased him a lot, and the fact he had been worrying about his safety while he was out in the cold. Paddy truly loved him. This must be what they call the unconditional love of a parent, something Gordon Livesy certainly hadn't provided Aaron. The realisation of Paddy's love and concern for Aaron suddenly warmed the young man's heart. Paddy was truly a father to him.

"I knew, in my heart, that you would come to accept the fact that you were gay. I was just hoping that you would make it as easy as possible on yourself. There was not much else I could do besides continuing to love you and to support you. I cared for you then and I'll always care for you. You know that. That's one of my many faults," he said with a big smile while pushing his glasses up his nose.

Aaron was staring at him, his hands tightly clasped together and resting on the table. He felt relieved by what he heard, and felt so happy to hear Paddy say he'd always care for him. Even if Jackson was the man of his life, the man who had his heart, Paddy was important, he was the father, the person who is always there, the reassuring presence in difficult situations that extend beyond what Aaron and Jackson can handle.

"But I'll tell you a bit more. It seems you really want to know how I felt, so I'll tell you this, but promise me you won't get mad. I mean it." Paddy was eyeing him very seriously.

Aaron had seen that look only rarely. He felt uncomfortable when he heard those words, and Jackson could feel it. It made Aaron sit up straight in his chair. Noticing his boyfriend's reaction, Jackson slowly ran his hand up and down Aaron's back to let him know he was there. He immediately felt Aaron relaxing. Things should be alright.

Paddy described the day when he and Marlon came back from the Woolpack and walked in on them when they were about to kiss. He reminded him of the heated exchange that followed, and how he had told him to go after Jackson, not to let him leave. That evening, Aaron had come back home and Paddy had asked him how he was. Aaron had walked past him and right into the living room, pacing nervously like a caged animal, then saying something about Marlon knowing, which seemed to have worried the young man very much.

"I had to tell him, Aaron, I had to talk to him. He was my best friend and he was the only person with whom I could discuss this. You were so angry, you threw the books and the flower vase on the floor and then you walked right up to me, asking me what you were going to do, asking me to tell you what to do, pleading with me. At that moment, when you walked up to me shouting, angry, red-faced, I feared you, for just a moment."

The words were out. Paddy wasn't sure how Aaron would react, but he had to share this with him. Not to hurt him, not to worry him, but to make him understand that it was how he had felt. Feeling fear from someone you love is not healthy, it is never good. Paddy knew very well Aaron's outburst was going to pass, but at the time, his reaction had been one of fear. When Aaron had gotten close to him, raising his voice, he had flinched, pushing himself against the wall. He had nowhere to go. Why didn't he just face Aaron? Why didn't he just lift his hands in a gesture to stop him so he wouldn't invade his private space? Paddy didn't know. He was pretty sure Aaron wouldn't have hit him again, but the events of the fateful evening were too fresh in his memory and that's how Paddy had reacted.

Aaron brought his hands to his mouth, gasping, tears forming in his eyes. He felt awful, he felt shameful. He never fully realised how threatening he could be when he was angry. Paddy was bigger than him, so it shouldn't have happen, but this was Aaron. He was openly crying now, saddened by his horrible behaviour towards the man who loved him like his own son.

"Paddy," he said in a halting voice, "I don't know what to say, I am so, so sorry. I never meant to hurt you like that, I never meant to scare you." Jackson was next to him, still running a comforting hand up and down his back. He could feel and hear Aaron sobbing now. After a moment, Aaron found his voice again and he forced himself to look Paddy straight in the eyes, "Will you ever be able to forgive me?" He needed to know that Paddy would forgive him. In his heart, he needed to hear these reassuring words in order to be able to move on.

Paddy was taken aback by the pain in Aaron's expression, by his vulnerability right at that moment. He knew Aaron was looking for his forgiveness, he just never thought he was in such need of it.

Paddy left his seat and went to Aaron who got up slowly to meet him. Paddy took him in a long and tight embrace that said he understood his sadness, his worries but also his regrets. He knew how much Aaron was remorseful. Their embrace said he forgave him, that everything was alright, that saying what had been said was enough to close this painful chapter between them.

"Yes, I forgive you, son, of course I do. I didn't say what I said to hurt you or to cause you more worry, but I figured that since you asked me, then you should know. You're not a kid anymore, Aaron, this is real life. You know that. People get hurt, but people heal and move on. Life goes on and we learn many lessons."

"Thank you, Paddy. This means a lot."

"I know, Aaron, I know. And the fact that you came here, that you asked me this painful question, it tells me that you are genuinely remorseful, that you felt bad about what you did and that you wanted closure. I'm sure it took a lot out of you to come here, didn't it?"

"Yeah, it did," Aaron replied with a small smile that was forming through tears of relief. "But I'm glad I came. Thank you... dad."

Paddy smiled warmly at Aaron. He was so proud of him, he really felt love for this young man in front of him. "If you're OK with it, let's not talk about this anymore." Aaron nodded his approval.

"Now, how about that cup of tea," Paddy said looking between Aaron and Jackson.

There was a pause. "Forget about the tea, let's go to the Woolie, my treat," Jackson said.

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

_A short one for today._

Ray Branswell may be young but he is already quite an artist. He does oil paintings but he also does pencil drawings with colour highlights that are particularly beautiful. His style is realistic with a bit of an impressionist twist. Rather unusual, but the result is attractive and his work is already catching the eyes of some gallery owners.

Right now, he is studying the print in his hands, it is a print of the shot he took of Aaron and Jackson in front of the Woolpack. He is trying to figure out how he will portray them. They are both beautiful young men, their features are clear, their eyes are piercing and their smiles are most charming.

He settles at his desk with his drawing pad, pencil in hand. The movements of his hand are small at first, he starts by drawing the basic shapes around the heads and along the shoulders and the arms, he then works on the facial features, he wants to capture the essence of these two men. He proceeds patiently, adding shadows around the eyes, on the side of the faces, paying particular attention to Jackson's beard and to Aaron's smile. He finds his smile intriguing. As much as Aaron can look serious, his face lights up so much when he smiles and it makes him even more attractive. His dark hair provides a solid contrast to the lighter shade of Jackson's.

The basic drawing being completed to his satisfaction, he now uses special colouring pencils to accentuate certain details, to add a new dimension to the work. It resembles the old-style coloured photographs of the early nineteen hundreds, but with a modern feel to it. It's almost as if the work was done entirely in colours. When he took the picture, they were seated at the table in front of the Woolpack, their arms resting on it. There were trees on the other side of the road, behind them, and they served as background. He chooses to use the table and the trees to produce the impressionist side of the work. The two styles offer a contrast that is both surprising and appealing.

He was pleased with his work. He wanted it to be as good as he could get it. He took great care in finishing it. While he was working, he kept thinking that if Aaron hadn't been there, he just might be dead, or even worse––brain dead––given the beating that had started by the time Aaron intervened. Maybe he wouldn't be here, doing what he enjoys most, and his family would be mourning him. Who knows how it could have ended. He let out a long sigh, shivering at the thought. He was a very lucky young man, he thought, very lucky.

* * *

Sitting in their living room, Mark and Brian were enjoying their pre-dinner drinks, a lager for Brian and a glass of wine for Mark. This was their daily ritual. Both worked a lot and they enjoyed their time together. Mark was the manager of a retail store and Brian was a mechanic at a luxury car dealership.

They met almost seven years ago at Menz Bar, the newest bar in Hotten at the time. Nice place, interesting techno and house music, good pool tables and the crowd was always mixed and intriguing. You could find a few lads wearing leather hot pants, plenty of the denim crowd and the others who didn't want to stand out too much. Well, enough to be noticed, mind you, but they were not there to make a statement of any sort.

Actually, that's why Mark and Brian connected so quickly. Both men were rather discreet. Each was at one of those many high tables where patrons could gather and rest their drinks. There were no seats around those tables. They where what you'd call chatting stations, or pick up spots, if you didn't care about chatting! Their tables were side by side. From the corner of their eyes, they had looked at each other, one making sure the other didn't notice. Mark was checking out the nice abs on Brian and he could see the man was well-built without being a bodybuilder. The shirt he was wearing was accentuating his beautiful chest. After a while, Brian decided that the good-looking lad checking him out was worth a try. Their eyes had done the talking at first, then an invitation to dance from Brian sealed the deal! Surprisingly, Brian the mechanic was the dancer, and Mark the manager wasn't too crazy about dancing, but he knew a few moves that could attract attention, in the right way. So that had pleased Brian a lot. On seeing those moves, he knew he had picked the right guy!

Mark was a clean-shaven kind of guy, wavy black hair kept tidy but not too short, and he had gorgeous green eyes that would always mesmerize Brian. He had a slightly muscular body and he knew how to dress well without going overboard. Brian enjoyed the comfort of casual clothes, he was in fact the epitome of the casual-looking guy, permanent five-o'clock shadow, always well-trimmed, very sexy on him, and a face that should be on a model.

After some dancing, they had picked up their drinks and moved to a more quiet spot, in the back corner. They had spent the rest of the evening talking, getting to know each other more. They took to each other almost instantly. After dating for several weeks, they became serious. A few months later, the two of them were moving in together. A year or so later, they bought a house in a new development on the edge of town. Nice place but nothing extravagant. It was comfortable, they could afford it, and it was a very welcoming place for friends and family.

After supper, they went on the patio to enjoy their coffee. The weather was warm and pleasant, it was almost summer.

"What do you say we invite Aaron and Jackson to come along with us to Liverpool for that Good Things in Life fair," Mark said. "They might enjoy that, getting away from the village, especially for Aaron after the Bar West incident. It'd be nice to get together for the day and relax a bit."

Brian was all for it. He liked them both and he had a few things in common with Aaron. Both were mechanics, enjoyed talking about cars, especially luxury vehicles, and they both loved their lager! But it was more than that. There were some similarities between them in the way they were raised. Like Aaron, Brian was comfortable being gay now, but it hadn't been easy at the beginning. He was someone who enjoyed fast cars, sports in school, he was destined for the trades. In his mid-teens, he realised he was gay and that worried him. How could he be gay and be a mechanic, like cars and all that sort of stuff? Of course, he didn't want to be found out. So he was the quiet type at college. Then, over time, he realised that it was the way he was and he would have to accept it. He came to understand that he could be gay and like cars, be the manly type. That combination was not impossible. All gays were not effeminate, if you wanted to follow the stereotypes, and he was one of those people who didn't fit the mould. That's why he found it so difficult to put being who he was with the fact he was gay. He was atypical, and well, maybe he wasn't the only one.

One day, that realisation came crashing at him as he found out one of his classmates was gay. So he was not alone after all. He had bumped into Aaron Livesy at the local gay bar and, after some awkward seconds, they both started to laugh at the situation. Each one had his suspicions about the other but they had never made a move or done anything to take it further. That night, they had talked a fair bit over several drinks. Well, Brian talked and Aaron listened mostly and he had put in a few words every now and then. With time, Aaron opened up a bit more, but he remained a shy person, always hesitant to make himself vulnerable. For both of them, it was the beginning of their life, they were young, they wanted to play the field and that was enough. They started being friends and they were happy with that. They were also able to provide some support to each other, which they both appreciated and needed.

Was there an attraction between them? Well, there was some, but not enough to lead to something more than the good friendship they had. They both accepted that and were happy like that. They both realised that a good friendship was important. Casual sex is good, but it has its limitations.

With time, they each found the love of their life. They had remained good friends and made a point of meeting occasionally for drinks.

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

_Sometime in July…_

The postman dropped a few envelopes through the mail slot. Aaron got up from the sofa to go get them. It was the usual collection of bills and flyers, except for an envelope from Bar West. Now, that was intriguing and it caught his eye.

"Jackson, look at this, something from Bar West. Did you not pay our tab again?" he said jokingly.

"Yikes, must be serious if they're mailing us a reminder", he said, also intrigued by the envelope. "Go on then, it's addressed to you, open it."

Aaron ripped the envelope open and read the letter. Jackson was looking at him all the while, but he just couldn't read Aaron's expression. His eyebrows were raised, he looked incredulous.

"Wow," he exclaimed. He showed Jackson the letter and let him read it.

"Aaron, this is fantastic! You should be honoured! Obviously, someone thought you deserved this award. It's a very nice gesture."

Aaron was flattered by the nomination for the Bar West Safer Gay Community Award, but he was not keen on being the center of attention, he didn't like the fuss this would bring. He'd rather keep it to the nice, quiet meeting he and Jackson had with Ray a month or so ago, and just let the whole thing go away. From the letter, he gathered his nomination was related to that event. But now that he was nominated, he couldn't really say no, that would be ungrateful, wouldn't it? There was a nagging thought in the back of his mind and that might be what was bothering him a bit. He, who was so quick with his fists in the past and who had gotten into trouble for it, was now nominated for basically having gotten into a fight. And maybe he was reading too much into that nagging thought. He didn't really get into a fight, he just helped someone out.

"What am I gonna do, Jackson? I suppose the right thing would be to accept, right?"

"Of course you accept, you div! This is an honour that you deserve, a well-earned thank you. I assume it's Ray who nominated you and he would be so disappointed if you turned the award down."

"I know, I won't turn it down, but I just don't want the fuss," Aaron continued.

"The fuss won't be for long, just an evening, and it will be over. And you get to choose a few guests to come along with you for the occasion, so that should be fun. Who will you invite?"

Aaron wrapped his arms around Jackson, holding him tightly, "I guess I'll have to put you first on the list now, won't I, since you had a role to play in this," he said with a smirk on his face.

"Oh, I wouldn't want to crash your party", Jackson replied in an exaggerated sad tone, playing it up a bit. He knew Aaron was warming up to the idea of the award. It was going to be an interesting evening.

"You can crash my parties any time," he said while kissing his boyfriend. "I wouldn't be going if you weren't going to be there."

"So when is it again?"

"September, so we have plenty of time. I don't want to think about it, summer is still here.

_Later on that day…_

"Can I get you a drink?" Aaron asked since he was already in the kitchen and about to get himself a can.

"Yes, please, glass of red wine, and don't be shy with it!" Jackson had replied, a smile in his voice. He always liked it when his boyfriend would offer to bring him a drink. He knew Aaron would go for a can, but tonight, he felt like having some wine.

"You are soooo gay!"

"What d'you mean, I'm soooo gay? Jackson was curious. He wasn't going to let Aaron get away with that comment. He was in a playful mood and he was going to get him to talk.

"You just are," he said, grinning, as he brought Jackson's glass of wine into the living room, putting it on the coffee table and settling down by his boyfriend's side.

"I'll tell you who's gay, Mr. Livesy, you, you are," he said while poking a finger at Aaron's ribs to emphasise his last words. "You are soooo gay for sleeping with me and loving me. There! What do you say to that?"

Aaron just looked at him and smiled. "Loving you is not me being gay, it's me being sensible and smart. As for sleeping with you, well, I've just been an innocent young man who fell victim to your wicked ways!"

"You are so full of it, Livesy, I can't believe it. My wicked ways? Let me remind you of a particular sequence of events."

Jackson proceeded to tell him that they had met in Bar West. Well, they had met but just for a brief moment, because as soon as Jackson had asked him to play pool, Aaron had hightailed it, leaving his phone behind when it slipped out of his coat pocket. Then they had met again in front of Bar West and debated the qualities of dumps like this one where men like them had drinks. Aaron wasn't readily admitting he was one of those men just yet, but still. Then, after becoming friends, sort of, Aaron had chinned Jackson, and afterwards, Jackson didn't want to have anything to do with that head case. Finally, much later, at the end of a day when Aaron had left about a dozen voice messages on Jackson's phone, he came to Bar West looking for him, praying he would find him, hoping Jackson would let him explain his erratic behaviour. That's when they shared a drink together, Jackson had gotten himself a glass of red wine and a pint for Aaron.

"And that, my handsome boyfriend, is how things played out, which means you clearly came after me, and more than once. You were almost chasing after me, pleading for my attention," Jackson declared in a triumphant tone, flashing his heart-stopping smile at Aaron, knowing very well he had him cornered.

Aaron was stunned. He didn't know what to say. He kept looking at him, staring into those wonderful brown eyes, and actually recalling all those events himself. A lot had happened since then. From refusing to admit to Paddy that he was gay to actually coming out, meeting Jackson properly and falling head over heels in love with him. He should have known Jackson would have remembered all of that. Not in a bad way, but just because those events were the trademark of getting involved with Aaron Livesy!

"So, you're blaming me?"

"Absolutely not. That's where you showed your smart side! You showed your sensible side when you fell in love with me, irresistible me."

"Yeah, whatever," Aaron replied with a smirk and by rolling his eyes. "Anyway, what is it with wine, how did you get to like that stuff so much?"

"Well, mum likes her wine and from time to time, she'd offer me some to try. I had white and red, but over time, I got to prefer red wine. It's richer, has more flavour. I mean, have you ever had some pinotage from South Africa?"

"Pino… what? Besides, you shouldn't be drinking stuff from that awful country. They treated their people so badly. I thought the world had banned their products."

Aaron wasn't completely ignorant of international trade issues, Jackson had to admit. But he wasn't aware of the developments that took place years ago.

"The world did but the world also changed its opinions when the political situation turned around decades ago. So now, my friend, we are so lucky to have a whole selection of amazing wines coming from that country. Pinotage is a great one that I love," he said with much emphasis, "and they have some very good chardonnay. Yes, I admit, I'll have some white, and that's my favourite white, well, their sauvignon blanc isn't bad either."

"Yep, I was right," Aaron said shaking his head and smirking, "you are soooo gay!" He just loved being able to wind Jackson up.

Even though he was teasing his boyfriend, he was actually paying attention. Listening to Jackson talking so effusively about wine had given him an idea that would come in handy pretty soon. He knew he liked wine but he didn't think he loved it as much or that he was so informed about it.

Jackson was just smiling at him. He put his arm around Aaron's shoulders and brought him close and kissed him. "I am and you wouldn't want me any other way."

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

It had been a long and busy week for both Aaron and Jackson. Business at the garage was steady, sometimes just too busy, but no one complained. Business is money and the more you have of both, the better it is. At least, that's how Aaron saw it. And a successful business kept Cain in a good mood, which is always a plus.

Jackson's business was also doing well. He had a large project on the go right now that kept him very busy. The owners of an old house wanted to renovate the main parts of the building and put in a new kitchen and a conservatory. This was a project that would keep him busy for nearly two months. He had to hire two of his mates to work with him and that was fine. They were good workers, trustworthy and the three of them got along well. In Jackson's eyes, these were ideal work conditions.

Aaron had just arrived home after finishing work. He had cracked open a bottle and sat himself comfortably on the sofa. Jackson arrived shortly afterwards. When he saw him come in, Aaron jumped to his feet to greet his boyfriend with a long, passionate kiss.

"Welcome home, sweetie," he said, after breaking the kiss. Jackson smiled at him.

"Wow, let me get out and come back in so you can welcome me home again," he said with a cheeky smile.

"Walsh, you are so funny sometimes, and now is not one of them," Aaron replied with an equally cheeky smile while holding his boyfriend in his arms. He looked into Jackson's eyes and than proceeded to embrace him and hold him tight, nuzzling his face into his neck. He just enjoyed feeling his body against his and he knew Jackson did too since he gladly put his arms around Aaron to hold him tight.

"What's this for?" asked Jackson.

"Nothing, really. I just love you and I enjoy holding you like this. I'm selfish that way." Aaron was smiling broadly. He knew he was throwing Jackson off when he did things like that.

"Well," Jackson replied, "not that I'm complaining, but if you love me that much, where's my drink?"

"Oi, you," Aaron replied, "when did you fire your last butler?" he said pulling away from Jackson.

"Can't afford one, that's why I have you."

"Alright, alright, one large red wine coming up," Aaron replied as he went to the kitchen.

Settled together on the sofa with their drinks, they decided to order some take away and stay home, take it easy, spend the evening together, maybe watch a movie.

"What do you want to do for the weekend?"

Jackson was wondering if they were spending it here or doing something special.

After giving it some thought, Aaron said, "It's Friday night, what do you say we pack an overnight bag an escape to the coast?" He was feeling adventurous. "We could check on the web to see if a place has any last-minute cancellations and hopefully find a good deal. Nothing fancy, just a quick escape. Leave tomorrow morning, back for supper on Sunday."

Jackson loved the sound of that. They got on the Internet and started looking at rented holiday cottages. They quickly found something, a small cottage that was actually available only for Saturday night. How lucky was that, they thought. The owner had had a cancellation about two hours before they called, so he was happy to let them have it for half the price. He pointed out it was small, but they didn't care, they took it immediately. It was in LaHave, about two hours out, along the coast.

Jackson didn't really want to drive down there with his van. It wouldn't be comfortable.

"Do you think Cain would let us borrow one of his cars?"

Aaron immediately got on the phone and spoke with Cain.

"Sorted," he said, smiling at Jackson as he clicked off his phone. "The papers are in the glove box and all we have to do is collect the keys from his place. How about you prepare an overnight bag for us and I'll get the keys and fill up the tank? Oh, that was his only condition, the car has to be back with a tank full of petrol."

"Ah, Cain's generosity! That's fine, it's good of him to let us use the car. It's the least we can do. Go on then, and I'll sort out things here so we're ready to go early tomorrow morning."

Aaron got up and deposited a tender kiss on his boyfriend's lips before leaving the house. Jackson was still smiling after the door closed. He loved him so much, he just didn't want to imagine his life without Aaron. Everything had moved on so nicely over the past few years, their relationship was more and more solid and their love for each other had grown much stronger.

He tidied up around the place and then went upstairs to pack an overnight bag with everything they'd need for such a short stay. He then got their bedroom ready. They spent a restful night, well, as restful as was possible for two lovebirds who couldn't keep their hands off each other's hot body. But they managed a few hours of real sleep in order to be ready to leave early Saturday morning.

* * *

Map in hand, Aaron was giving directions to Jackson who was keeping his eyes on the road. As they drove away from Emmerdale, the scenery changed. They left behind the green fields and the valleys and were treated to open vistas and long, flat areas with the ocean on the horizon. Every now and again, clumps of trees or groups of houses would hide the seaside panoramas but never for long. LaHave was a small town by the ocean, very pretty, an ideal place for holidaying and getting away from it all. They wouldn't spend a week here but it was perfect for their overnight escapade.

They got there by about 11 o'clock, found the property easily enough and stopped their car in front of the owner's house.

Jackson got out of the car to greet a man who was coming out of the house as they were arriving. It was Mr. Grant, the owner. Probably in his sixties, tall, a strong man by what Jackson could observe. He welcomed Jackson with a solid handshake. Jackson always liked someone who had a solid handshake. He hated so much people who had what he called the "dead fish" handshake. They sort of put their hand in yours but they don't grab and shake. It leaves you wondering if you shouldn't just let it drop.

"Mr. Walsh?"

"Jackson," he said, wanting to make things friendly.

"Welcome, Jackson. The place is up the road, to your left. It's a little secluded and you have a nice view of the ocean. Everything you need should be there; if you need anything else, you know where to find me. Here's the key." As he gave him the key, he looked Jackson in the eye, "You two are not loud party people, I hope?"

"No, I don't think you have to worry about that," Jackson replied with a smile.

"Good, then. Enjoy your stay."

They settled quickly into their retreat, happy to be alone and away from the village. They liked living in Emmerdale, but it was also nice to get away from time to time.

Jackson stood in front of the living room window, admiring the view outside. Large, open fields, some small stone walls deviding properties, and at the end of it, the immensity of the ocean, its dark blue waters rippling under the touch of the wind. Birds were flying over the water, sometimes swooping down to catch a fish they had spotted. He was lost in his thoughts.

Aaron came behind him and slowly wrapped his arms around his chest, holding Jackson tightly against his body. He leaned forward and put his mouth to Jackson's neck, kissing him lightly, smelling him. Jackson always used nice shower gels. Yes, he might be gay for doing that! Aaron often teased him about it but his excuse was that he had to smell good for his boyfriend. "Do you have any idea how much I love doing this, holding you tightly and getting high on your sexy smell?"

"If I didn't know any better, Mr. Livesy, I'd think you're trying to seduce me," Jackson said with a low, quiet voice. He, too, was loving this moment. He felt so comfortable in Aaron's strong arms, he felt safe. Right now, he was a very happy man.

"Well, Mr. Walsh, I could seduce you, actually charm the pants off you, once again, but that would cut into the little time we have to check out the stuff to do around here. We only have 'till tomorrow, but the night could be as long as we want it."

"You are so practical sometimes, you scare me!"

Aaron released his hold on Jackson and turned him around, the two men coming face to face. He kissed him tenderly. "You know I love you, right? It took me long enough to learn to say this, I'm not going to miss any more opportunities to let you hear it!"

"You can repeat yourself as many times as you want," Jackson said, "I won't mind."

TBC


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"See across the bay, over there," Aaron pointed with his finger, "that's Tancook Island. It has 784 inhabitants, its own elementary school and two pubs. Oh, and an old prison where they used to lock up privateers, whenever they managed to catch them."

Aaron was reading from a pamphlet Mr. Grant had left on the coffee table. There was plenty of information about things to do in the area.

"There's a ferry that goes there several times a day, there is one in about 15 minutes, but the next one is at 1:30. What do you say we grab something to eat before we go or we could eat over there, at one of the pubs."

Jackson thought for a bit, "Let's go now, see if we can catch an earlier ferry and eat there."

Off they went, and by the time they reached the wharf, there was a ferry just about to leave. It was a small, flat bottom craft able to transport about eight to ten vehicles. They were number seven, and got on just in time. Once onboard, the attendant directed them to a specific spot so they could park. The crossing would take about twenty minutes. Enough time to get out and stretch their legs.

As they left the shore, they could see some fishing boats tied to their moorings, lobster traps piled up on the wharf. It wasn't the season. The sea was calm, almost a mirror. The air was fairly warm and the mid-day sun beaming on them. It was an amazing sensation.

They went to one side and leaned on the railing. There was only one deck. Next to them was a couple of young lads, good looking as Aaron noticed. Maybe in their late teens, pretty straight-looking but Aaron and Jackson could feel there was more to them. They were gay, they could feel it. Then, Jackson noticed the tiny Pride pin on one of their rucksacks.

"Like your pin," Jackson said in a casual manner. He knew that would break the ice and allow for some conversation. He looked into the eyes of one of the young lads. "You've been to the island before?"

"Erm… yeah, me and my mate here," pointing to the lad with him, "we go every couple of weeks." He was trying to gauge this older guy, but if he knew about the pin, then he and his mate were likely gay. Besides, he looked alright, so it might be safe to talk to him. "So, you know about the pin, then?"

"Yeah, I do. It's okay, you don't have to worry." Jackson could see the relief wash over his face. "My name's Jackson and this is my boyfriend Aaron," he said, extending his hand.

"My name's Josh and this is Luke." They shook hands and started making small talk. Josh was less reserved than Luke, so he did most of the talking. They were both 18 years old, about to start college. Luckily, they were both accepted to the same college, so they would be able to share an apartment. Luke was going into translation, he had the gift of languages, and Josh wanted to be a graphic designer. They offered an excellent program where they were going, so choosing that college was easy.

"How long have you two been friends," Aaron asked. He was hoping they would open up a bit more, share their experience.

"We grew up together," Josh said. "We've known each other since we were about ten, but never really knew each other properly, if you know what I mean, until we were about fifteen," he said, looking to Luke to confirm that.

"Yeah, that's about right," Luke confirmed. "You kept checking me out in school, it was hard to ignore you!"

Jackson laughed. "So you're both out then?"

"Only to a few close friends. Our parents don't know, at least we don't think they do," Luke pointed out nervously. "But we're going to see my aunt, she lives on the island. She knows."

"Ah, so you were able to talk to someone, that's good," Aaron said. Remembering his own experience, he didn't talk to anyone until it had to be forced out of him!

"I didn't really need to talk, you know. One day, when I was visiting, Louise, that's her name, and me were sitting on the porch drinking her special lemonade, talking about school and stuff," Luke continued. "She looked at me and said something about my secret being safe with her. It's as if she had known all along. It was really weird."

"Luke, your aunt _is_ weird," Josh said with a chuckle. Turning to Aaron and Jackson, he lowered his voice, as if in a conspiratorial tone, and said, "how many aunts do you have who smoke pot and drink moonshine?"

"Josh, shut up!" Luke punched him in the arm, a small smile tugging at his lips.

"That's alright, guys, don't worry, we have our fair share of weird relatives, too," Jackson exclaimed, glancing at Aaron.

"Would you, by any chance, be referring to my family?" Aaron asked with fake surprise in his voice?

"Absolutely!" Their exchange finished with a good laugh.

The crossing was almost over and they had to get back to their car. They offered the boys a ride to wherever they were going but Luke said there was no need to because the island was so small, they could walk to his aunt's place in no time. She lived up the road from one of the pubs.

"We wanted to grab a bite to eat at a pub, why don't you two come with us, our treat, you can tell us which one has the best food, and we can continue talking a bit, that is if you want to." Aaron was hoping they'd say yes, he liked them and the four of them seemed to be getting along nicely.

Luke and Josh looked at each other and decided it was okay. Luke got his cell phone out and called his aunt to say they were at the pub with friends and that they would be over in about an hour. They were all set.

They settled at the Split Crow, it had the best pub grub, in their opinion, and it had a patio on the side of the building, so they could sit outside and enjoy the view. They could also have their meal and talk freely with Jackson and Aaron, away from the prying eyes of the locals.

"So, how long have you guys been together?" Josh asked.

"About five years," Jackson said. "It was rough at the beginning, but we managed."

"You make it sound like it was quite an ordeal," Aaron piped in. He looked at the boys and added, "He was just difficult, he played hard to get." They all laughed at that.

"We've never thought of us as being together, you know, but I guess that's what we are," Josh said, "we don't live together, but we do a lot of things together, and we like hiking, so that's something we enjoy and have in common. There are great walking trails around LaHave."

Luke, the quieter of the two, was sipping his lager and listening. He was feeling comfortable now. "We go to clubs in Hotten and Pembroke every now and again, but it's just not what we like. You must think we're weird, right?"

Aaron smiled at them. "You're not weird at all, clubs are not for everyone. And everyone is different, the way you come out, how you feel about it, maybe you're still nervous about going out with your boyfriend. And that's fine. You don't have to go to bars. We use to go early on to meet friends and play pool, but we do it less often now, you know, with work and all."

"What do you do?" Josh asked, curious about what the two older men did for a living.

"I'm a builder and Aaron is a mechanic. Actually now owns half of the business where he works," Jackson added proudly. "And I have my own business."

"That's great," Luke replied. "You have… regular jobs, I mean, normal jobs, you know what I mean?" He didn't really know how to express his thought. He wanted to say they were not hairdressers or florists or some other stereotypical jobs people associate with gay people, but he actually felt bad even thinking like that.

Jackson remembered a conversation he had with Aaron early on about the same subject and added, "You mean manly jobs?" he said, emphasising the last two words. He looked at Aaron when he said that and smiled, sure his boyfriend would remember that night. And Aaron did, because he replied with a knowing smile.

"Yeah, I guess. There are still so many stereotypes, it's hard to get away from them. I suppose, as we meet more people, we'll get to know others like you, and like us, too."

Their lunch was finished, they'd had a good time and had enjoyed each other's company. Luke said they had to get going if they wanted to visit his aunt and have time to get the ferry back to town.

"Thanks for lunch," Luke said. "And thanks for talking to us, it was nice to have a chance to meet an older couple…"

Upon hearing the words _older couple,_ Jackson just about spat the mouthful of lager he had in his mouth. Aaron burst out laughing, "You calling us old farts?"

The boys were mortified. "Oh God, no, not at all. I'm sorry, that's not what I meant," Luke stammered, so embarrassed.

"I'm only joking, mate, you're alright," Aaron said, still laughing. "We're only a few years older than you, but Jackson, here, he's the granddad of us all." That comment got him a serious jab in the ribs.

"Yeah, nice to meet you too, I guess," Jackson added jokingly, smiling at them, "and good luck with college."

They had enjoyed meeting these young men. Talking with them about coming out, about their insecurities and their fears, it brought back all kinds of memories, some good, some not so good. But in retrospect, they realised they had made a lot of progress and their lives had changed for the better. It was good to acknowledge that.

* * *

They visited the prison and learned some interesting facts about the privateers and their misdeeds. They walked through public gardens, admired an amazing collection of rhododendrons that were in bloom, then they sat down on a bench in the gardens to enjoy a soft-serve ice cream cone.

They were not alone. A man, maybe 30 or 35 years old, was sitting on a bench in front of them. He, too, was eating an ice cream cone. Jackson and Aaron were sitting behind him at an angle that afforded them a clear view of his face. Nice jaw line, 4 o'clock shadow, tanned skin and light brown hair. Probably straight but he was still a very attractive bloke. Aaron glanced at Jackson, their eyes met, but neither said anything. They understood each other and simply exchanged a knowing smile. They observed how his tongue would swirl around the ice cream and lap up a mouthful. It was one of those co-ordinated movements where the swirling of his tongue would coincide with his hand turning the cone, so that ice cream would be collected evenly, all around the ice cream serving. After a moment, his tongue would come out of his mouth again and lick up the sides of the ice cream until it reached the tip. His tongue would be perfectly curved outward, the tip almost touching his chin, then it would straighten before reentering his mouth. As it came out again, it then went around, repeating that slow, swirling motion. Finally, he took the cold, creamy, pointed mound and inserted it fully in his mouth in order to close his lips around it and then pull it out slowly, leaving another mouthful of ice cream in his mouth. His movements were slow, almost studied. He was definitely enjoying his snack.

The boys were simply mesmerised. They had never imagined how bloody erotic a tongue lapping at ice cream could be. The two of them finished their own ice cream in silence. The man left. Neither of them moved. Jackson turned to Aaron and said, in a sheepish, low voice, "I don't think I can get up just yet without embarrassing myself." Aaron burst out laughing, but he didn't move either! "Same here," he said, giving Jackson a big grin.

A few minutes passed before they decided it was time to go back to the mainland. The next ferry was leaving in about 25 minutes. Plenty of time to make it.

Shortly after getting off the ferry, they stopped at a store to buy some food and a few cans for the evening. They didn't intend to leave their nest after returning.

TBC


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

They had a supper of pasta and sauce, some bread, a salad and a small cherry pie. The lady who worked at the store said the pie was made locally and it was to die for. Taking her word for it, they got one. She was right, it was delicious. They ate the whole thing.

They were wearing only boxers and t-shirts and they were lying on the sofa, barefoot. The television was on but the sound was muted. Jackson was lying with his head resting on Aaron's chest. He could hear and feel his breathing, and he could hear his heart beating.

"Is your heart beating for me," Jackson asked in a romantic way, batting his eyelashes.

Aaron smiled at him. He let his fingers twist and move through his boyfriend's curly hair then, slowly and delicately, he ran the tip of his index finger along the bridge of his nose. Resting his hands on Jackson's chest, he said, "My heart always beats for you, you know that. It has since the day I saw you.

"Mind you, I probably wouldn't have admitted that to myself at first, but it did. You freaked me out when I saw you with Paddy, when you brought back my phone, but from that moment, I knew there was something."

"I know. Same with me. After I dropped the phone off, I was so hoping you'd call me, I was so curious about you, I thought you were hot and fit. What was I thinking, eh?" he teased.

"Well, you certainly didn't think I'd chin you, did you? I still feel bad about that, how stupid was I? All you wanted to do was be nice to me, get me to come along and join the others to go into town."

"That's in the past, Aaron, no need to think about that anymore. We've moved on, you've done a great deal of growing up since then, same with me. I am so proud of you, I hope you know that."

"Yeah, I do, and thanks for sticking by me and helping me so much through all these years. Well, actually, for loving me. You have the patience of a saint." He leant over Jackson's face and kissed him tenderly, their lips brushing lightly.

"You got that right. But I also have two hands and I am going to put them to good use." He got up and went to the toiletries bag in the bathroom and came back with the lube.

"And what have you got in mind?" Aaron asked, intrigued by what he had in his hands.

Jackson sat back on the sofa and took Aaron's legs and lifted them to place them on his lap. He then took some lube, rubbed it in his hands and took Aaron's right foot and started massaging it. He ran his thumbs along the arch, then under, and he took hold of his toes and slowly bent them down to extend the muscles from the top of his foot. He went back to the arch and again ran his thumbs under the foot, all along that sensitive skin. His movements were slow, attentive.

"Jay, what the hell… oh my god, that feels so good." Aaron had never had a foot massage before and he was now realising how fantastic and relaxing it felt. And how bloody erotic it was, too! He just let his head rest on the top of the sofa and enjoyed the moment.

Aaron had always taken good care of his body. Aside from being in good physical shape, he took great pains in making sure his hands were clean and his finger nails were free of grease and dirt from his work. Sure, he wore rubber gloves, like the other mechanics, but there were still times when he needed to take them off. He was always conscious of wanting to look good, and that meant his hands and nails had to be clean when he was not at the garage. It was not a question of being vain, it was just a matter of principle. Same thing with his feet. His nails were always clean and trimmed very short. He actually used a special brush to scrub his feet and toes clean with plenty of soap. It was his little secret that he had managed to keep from Jackson. Aside from the cleaning aspect, it was something that felt good. Maybe not as good as what Jackson was doing now, but pretty close.

Jackson was enjoying this time with Aaron, this moment of closeness and intimacy. After massaging his right foot, he moved to his left foot and started the same process. Aaron was still feeling blissful. He just couldn't believe how good it made him feel. After a moment, Jackson's hands moved slowly up Aaron's left leg to rest on his knee. The heat from his hands was transferred to the knee and the muscles there and it was soothing. Jackson then started massaging this area slowly, going around the kneecap, around and back behind the leg, making sure it was done smoothly and softly. He then ran his fingers along the scar left by the operation and when Aaron felt that, his eyes shot open. He didn't want Jackson to pay too much attention to that area, but at the same, he realised how silly he was. It really didn't matter, this was Jackson, not some stranger. So it was okay for him to see and touch this flaw in his body. He knew Jackson didn't care, even if, in the back of his mind, he himself still felt a tinge of insecurity about it.

After the talk he had with Cain, he knew better than to continue to feel insecure about this. Jackson didn't care about the scar, nor should he.

Jackson actually sensed that Aaron became tense, and he finally figured out why. Looking into his boyfriend's eyes, holding his gaze, he leant forward and deposited small kisses all along the scar. Aaron's eyes were darting nervously between Jackson's face and his knee, and he finally realised how stupid he had been. He realised that Jackson had also figured it out.

"Why are you so tense? Are you worried about something?"

"Jackson, I… I feel really stupid. I hope you're not going to get mad at me." He felt hesitant, wasn't sure how Jackson would react to what he was about to tell him. "For a bit there, I was worried that I would be… less attractive."

"What do you mean, less attractive?" Jackson was truly puzzled by what he said.

"You know, with a limp and the scar, I mean, why would you still want me as much?"

"Aaron, are you serious?" Jackson couldn't believe him. He wasn't mad at him, but he was disappointed, he thought Aaron would know by now the love he had for him, and that a limp and a scar were not going to be changing that. He was not disappointed in Aaron per se, but disappointed in the fact Aaron still had insecurities like that.

"I know… like I said, I really feel stupid," Aaron said, sheepishly, looking at Jackson with eyes that said he felt sorry for being such an idiot.

"Why would I still want you? Geez, I don't know, let me think about it for a minute," Jackson retorted, being his sarcastic self. "Your money, the great big home you have, I don't know… Aaron, you are such a prat when you want, and that's one thing I love about you. Do you really think a limp and this scar are going to make me look at you differently?"

"Erm… well, I suppose I should say no."

"You're right, you should say no." Jackson's voice was calm and he had a reassuring smile on his face. "After all we've been through, my love for you goes beyond that. My love for you is for your person, the way you are with me, the way you are now since you've changed so much. And I understand that you still have insecurities, I suppose I have some myself about certain things, but you don't need to worry about it. You really don't. I won't ditch you because of your huge flaws," he said with an exagerated emphasis on the last two words, just to show him how silly he was.

"Jackson! That's not funny!" Aaron didn't know how to take his boyfriend sometimes, although he figured out he was winding him up a bit with that last comment.

"It is funny, Aaron, in the sense that this is nothing, it should be nothing. Trust me, it's going to take a lot more than that for me to change my mind about you. So stop worrying." As he said that, he planted one last kiss on Aaron's knee and finished his massage around his leg, letting his fingers trail along his finely shaped calf.

Aaron was finally reassured by Jackson's words. He could finally let this go. Well, he'd try. Now that he was more relaxed again, he let himself back in the hands of Jackson, in a manner of speaking. When Jackson was done with the massage, he looked at his boyfriend and suggested they move to the bedroom. Aaron didn't need any convincing. The invitation came from the most gorgeous man he knew and loved, and that was all he needed.

Aaron was in a good place. The day had been very nice. He had just been treated to a foot massage by his boyfriend, something that was totally new to him. He was thinking how much he had changed over the past few years, how much he had grown as a young gay man. He was particularly surprised by how much he had grown into loving the closeness, the intimate moments with his boyfriend, a man. This revelation was amazing to him. This young man who, at one time, didn't want people to think he was like that, now just couldn't see the point of trying to live a lie with a woman by pretending to be straight. Pretending is what does your head in. He had learned that lesson.

They were relaxing in bed, comfortable under the duvet. Slowly, Aaron got on his knees and straddled Jackson's hips, sitting back with his ass crack fitting tightly over Jackson's cock, the boys being very aware of that perfect fit.

Aaron looked at his boyfriend, he admired the beauty of his features, he found pure pleasure in being aware of Jackson's beauty, in liking it, in realising how good it made him feel, he just couldn't believe he was thinking like that! But it felt so good! He put his hands on Jackson's chest, letting them rest there, feeling the heat emanating from the skin under them. He let his fingers run over Jackson's pectorals, slightly rubbing his nipples, taking his time. He then moved his fingertips along Jackson's jawline, feeling his beard, enjoying the prickly sensation, being careful with his movements. His fingers rose to his eyebrows, he detailed the line over his eyes, felt the softness of his brows, of the skin on his forehead. Afterwards, he pushed his fingers through Jackson's curly hair, slowly, as if they were a big comb. He then brought his hands down a bit to cup Jackson's face, delicately, with love. All the while, he was looking at his lover and he was enjoying himself immensely. He leant down and kissed him slowly, softly, then passionately.

"Can I ask why you're doing that?" Jackson said, his breath warm against Aaron's lips, "not that I mind!"

"Because I can," Aaron said simply, and Jackson smiled at his honest answer. "I am just realising how lucky I am. I have you to love, and I can be nice to you like this if I want to, without having to worry anymore. It took me long enough to learn and accept who I am, to accept your love, and I know there is still some learning to do, but right now, I know I can do this as much as I want and it feels so right, for both of us. I feel like another person."

Jackson was relishing this moment. "Well, this feels incredible for me. I love what you're doing. I love your intimate side, this side of you no one else ever gets to see. You should never forget how beautiful it is."

Aaron was blushing a bit now, but he was finally getting used to receiving that kind of compliments from Jackson, so he just smiled shyly at his boyfriend, a smile that said thank you, that said he understood what he was saying.

"You and I have great sex, as you know," Jackson said as he bucked his hips up against Aaron's buttocks to reinforce his message, "but this, this is as good as sex, in a different way. Do you understand what I mean?"

"Yeah, I do," Aaron replied. Still holding Jackson's gaze, he leant down and they exchanged a long, passionate kiss. Still holding on to each other, Aaron slipped on his side and the two of them cuddled, Aaron putting his arm over Jackson's chest, holding on to him as if he was afraid to lose him.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

It was Saturday, the weather was dark and gloomy, perfect for spending the day inside tasting wines and admiring cars. Mark and Brian had invited Jackson and Aaron to join them at a special event in Liverpool. It was themed around the pleasures of life. Mark wanted to attend the special wine tasting on the program and Brian suggested asking Aaron to come along with him to the luxury car show that was set up in a different part of town. Working at the luxury car dealership, Brian was able to get tickets at a good price and he thought Aaron would enjoy it.

They agreed to meet at Mark and Brian's place shortly after breakfast. As they arrived, Aaron and Jackson were greeted warmly by their friends. Once inside, Aaron signaled to Mark to follow him into the kitchen. They had a little chat and he handed him an envelope.

"What are you two plotting over there?" Jackson asked from the living room where he was seated with Brian.

"Nothing you should be concerned about, my friend," Mark had replied with a smile on his face. "Your boyfriend and I are just conducting some business." He left it at that knowing full well Jackson's curiosity would be piqued. Aaron was happy with his plan.

"Alright, boys," Brian said, "time to go. We've got some driving to do. Mark, you can drive up and I'll drive back. I'm assuming you and Jackson will be pretty tipsy by the time you'll be done tasting all those wines!"

"Hey, it's a wine tasting, not a drunken fest," Jackson retorted.

"Yeah, you keep telling yourself that, my sweet," Aaron had replied, a smile on his face and a sparkle in his eyes. He looked Jackson in the eyes and then gave him a nice kiss. "Let's go."

Once in Liverpool, Jackson and Mark were dropped off at the convention centre where the wine tasting was taking place. Aaron and Brian continued on to the other end of town, to the stadium where the car show was set up. Aaron was definitely looking forward to this event.

Jackson and Mark entered the hall, got their wine list and immediately started to study it. They needed to figure out a plan of attack. Sure, you can taste all the wines you want, but after a while, your tongue and your taste buds are not working as well as when you started, let alone your legs!

They thought it would be interesting to keep it to two or three countries and to about three to five wines per country. That way, they could choose the more expensive ones or the more intriguing ones. It's always nice to discover something new, then you can get a few bottles to take home. They wanted to remain fairly sober throughout, given that you normally don't swallow the wine being tasted. But there are wines that are so good, you just can't spit them back, so you just swallow and enjoy them to the last drop that was poured in your tasting glass.

Jackson went for some Spanish wines, particularly two Ribera del Douero and two albariño, so some red and some white that he enjoyed a lot. He checked out some South African wines, of course, even spotted something from a vineyard called Jacksons. What a coincidence, he thought. Mark had also noticed that wine, had tasted it. Both loved it, the price being an indicator of its quality. At about 25 pounds a bottle, it was one to be savoured, not to be quaffed. And it would store well for a few years. Mark was attracted by the Italian wines, especially the whites. He enjoyed some Gavi, some vernacchia di San Gimignano and a grape variety called insolia. They all gave beautiful wines that were good for enjoying on the patio or indoors in the winter. Something to remind them of the beautiful days of summer! He intended to buy a few bottles to bring back.

Once they were done with the tasting, they headed to the store that was attached to the tasting area in order to buy a few bottles to bring back home. Jackson chose four bottles he thought were worth purchasing. As for Mark, he chose several bottles and got a carton to put it all together. He kept space for three bottles. He had been tasked by Aaron to get three really nice bottles he knew Jackson would like. He intended to give them to him as a gift. So, taking advantage of Jackson being in another aisle checking the products, he grabbed one of those nice Ribera del Douero and two of the Jacksons Limited Release pinotage he liked so much. He knew these three bottles would make Jackson quite happy whenever he would get them.

In the meantime, across town, Aaron and Brian were admiring the latest models in sports and luxury cars – Mercedes, Aston Martin, Bentley, even Ferrari and Toyota. Some of the models were designed only for car shows, but some were new models that would make these guys dream of owning one. Aaron was quite taken by the new Toyota hybrid model that was on show. It was a sports car that would change his opinion about hybrid and performance. The two of them were talking engine characteristics and performance, admiring the lines on those beautiful vehicles, discussing the virtues of some of the optional equipment you can get on these cars, and trying to avoid looking at the women who were draping themselves on the cars. Mark was finding that so cheesy. How clichéd and passé is that? Why not have some scantily clad males do the same? Now that might appeal more to them!

There was even an area where you could sit in a simulator and imagine you were driving one of those expensive machines. For a much more considerable amount of money, you could actually test drive the real things on a close circuit next to the stadium. They discussed it but thought that 150 pounds for a thirty-minute ride was a bit expensive, even if it was an Aston Martin!

They spent a good three hours there and they enjoyed the show very much. Since Brian worked in a luxury car dealership, he was able to make some contacts that might prove useful later on. Who knows, he might want a change at some point.

Aaron was observing Brian; he might also be tempted one day to change his situation. For now, he was part owner of the garage with Cain, so he figured he'd give that some time and make a good go of it. Start small and do it well, then move on to something bigger if that's what he wants.

It was almost 2:30 when they decided to head back and go meet the wine boys. Jackson and Mark were waiting for them outside of the convention centre. The weather had cleared up and it was nice, they were sitting outside when the car boys arrived.

"So, still the same old car? Haven't given in on buying a new one, have you?" Jackson said. Aaron put his arm around his shoulder, looked at his boyfriend and said, "I prefer to keep my money and spend it on you." He was trying to look serious, but couldn't hold it for very long and burst out laughing! Mark and Brian just shook their heads and laughed.

"Come on, love birds, we have to head home," Brian said as he got back behind the wheel. On the way back, the four of them talked about their time in Liverpool, and Aaron shared the news about being nominated for the Bar West award. Mark and Brian were absolutely thrilled for him. They both agreed what he did was extremely brave and that he deserved the award.

Jackson reinforced the fact that what he did was not get into a fight, but rather help someone who was in trouble. He was very proud of Aaron for his presence of mind. He basically had save Ray's life and he wanted Aaron to realise that.

Upon reaching Hotten, Brian drove up to their place since Jackson's van was there.

"Listen guys, it's almost five thirty, why don't you stay here for supper with us, I'll get something together, nothing fancy," Mark said.

"I don't know," Aaron said, "we don't want to impose."

"You're not imposing, we're inviting you. That's settled then, come on in!" Brian said, happy the boys would be staying for supper. Jackson looked at Aaron and smiled. They shook their heads, thinking about their friends and how that decision had been made for them. They always enjoyed Mark and Brian's company. They were fun and often did things like this, a bit impromptu.

The four of them actually decided to call for take away. It would be simpler and quicker, and less of a mess. They settled around the table with their food and the conversation flowed easily between the four friends.

Jackson mentioned how he enjoyed the wine tasting. "Mum would have loved it, although I am not sure it would have been a good idea to have her there in the middle of hundreds of bottles of wine! Might have become embarrassing at some point."

"Oh, she would have had a good time," Mark said. "She sounds like a real fun person, your mother."

"She is, but she's still my mum, so there are times when she is aggravating, but I do love her. She goes on her travels for a few months and then shows up on my doorstep and crashes for a few weeks."

"Yeah, but she's not taking our place for a hotel," Aaron piped up. "She cooks and cleans and entertains us. She's good company. And she knows when to make herself scarce," he said with a chuckle.

"I wish I had that kind of relationship with my mother," Mark said.

"What's wrong with your relationship?" Brian asked, intrigued by the comment. After living with Mark for several years now, he thought he knew all the important stuff about his boyfriend, but he guessed there was some stuff yet to discover.

"My mother is an odd bird. Over time, I discovered that it's all about her. She has to look good in front of her friends."

"That would be the case for a lot of mothers, don't you think?" Aaron pointed out.

"Maybe you're right." He stopped to think about what he was about to share with his friends. This was something he hadn't even mentioned to Brian. It happened many years ago and he had kept it to himself. He was so hurt at the time, he didn't think he wanted to burden his then new boyfriend with something like that. He would have told him eventually, but it seemed there hadn't been an appropriate time. He felt now might be a good time to share this experience, it might actually help get rid of that bad memory. He hoped Brian wouldn't mind the fact he had kept this from him for so long.

"Let me tell you a story, then you tell me what you think."

They listened as he told them how his mother had found out that he was gay. In the early months, when he and Brian were dating, they had gone out for supper and when they left the restaurant, Mark had run into a lady friend of his mother. They chatted briefly. Brian had stayed behind, keeping a safe distance so as not to put Mark in a situation where he would have to introduce him to this woman. Not that he was ashamed of Brian, not at all, but both of them were still rather shy and wanted to keep things simple.

A few months later, when Mark visited his mother, she mentioned the encounter and said that her friend had seen him and his friend holding hands and walking down main street Hotten.

"I was shocked," Mark said. "I didn't know what to say. I certainly wasn't prepared for that kind of conversation. I was particularly upset because that was untrue. Not that I would have a problem holding Brian's hand, but we are both pretty shy and we don't go for PDAs, as you know. Well, we certainly didn't at the time. So, she had been told a lie and had believed that woman without even asking any question."

He went on to tell them that he basically had to come out to her. Not the ideal circumstances, but when are they? In a lot of cases, coming out happens when one is forced, in one way or another. In any case, she was not happy. She gave him the tears, the guilt and all. That's when she pointed out how badly it was going to reflect on her. Her friends were going to talk now. She wasn't thinking about him at all, she was just concerned about herself.

"To top it off, as if more could be said to hurt me at that point, she told me that when she dies, there would be no need to mourn her. She would finally be out of her misery. The shame of me was just too much for her image."

Brian was speechless. He took Mark's hand and held it tightly to show his support.

"I thought I had it tough," Aaron said. He remembered his struggle, how hard it had been to accept that he was gay, how he didn't want to be like that. But, at least, his mother hadn't pulled a stunt like that one on him. She actually didn't care that he was gay. She had been more concerned about his happiness. She had told him in her usual delicate way, 'So what? You're gay, it's not the end of the world, you're not the first one to be gay. We'll deal with this." And they had, in some weird way.

"But here you are with this story. I am so sorry, Mark. And this was from your own mother. You must have felt awful."

"I did, I felt terrible for a few weeks, I was very confused about my feelings for her, but at some point, I realised there was nothing I could do to change that. It was not something I wanted to work at changing because it's not how it works. If her image and the lies of that witch friend of hers were more important than her own son, then I wanted nothing to do with her. I was going to be civil and polite to her, but I wasn't going to change my life."

"It wouldn't have been right, anyway," Jackson pointed out. "And you were honest with her, that's the important thing. If she can't take honesty, that's her problem, not yours."

"You're right. Besides, I had met Brian, I was very fond of him, well, I still am," he pointed out with a small smile, "and I wasn't going to let her put a damper on the beginning of our life together. I liked him too much for that. But what saddened me the most is that I realised then that she didn't really love me. It was like a slap in the face."

On hearing that, Brian's heart went out to his boyfriend. He was hurting for him. He got up and went behind Mark. Putting his hands on his shoulders, he bent forward so his head rested close to Mark's and he gave him a tender kiss on the cheek. "I am so sorry, Mark, I don't know what to say." He just couldn't imagine how a mother could be so cold, so selfish. Aren't parents supposed to take their kids the way they are? Aren't they supposed to love them, to help them through life, or at least help them make sense of it, prepare for it? Her behaviour was a disgrace to motherhood, he thought.

"There's nothing to say, really. I'm just happy I have you, you give meaning to my life, you make it rewarding, and that's what's important. Even though she's my mother, she doesn't count as much anymore. There is nothing I can or want to do to change her opinion. It's not what this is about. My life with you and my affection for her as her son are all that I can offer. If she doesn't want to be part of that, then it's fine. It's not worth being sad over."

Brian looked at him and then to Aaron and Jackson. "Well, there is at least one thing your mother did right, and that's to have you. I am a very lucky man. I found you and you became the most beautiful part of my life."

Mark turned three shades of red! He didn't mind compliments but, in front of their friends, it was different. However, he took the compliment, but promptly changed the subject… "Erm… coffee, tea anyone?"

Aaron and Jackson just chuckled but they gave Brian a knowing look. They understood his feelings, knew how expressing those feelings was an effort for him. Not that he didn't want to, he just found it difficult to put them into words. Even though they were all close friends, this was kind of personal. It showed Aaron and Jackson that their friends valued their friendship and trusted them with their most personal admissions.

Aaron and Brian were pretty similar in that respect, they both had a hard time expressing their inner feelings, but they had made much progress over the past years, their respective boyfriends being the catalysts they each needed.

TBC


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Aaron and Jackson were in their bedroom in Dale Head. It had become their home, Hazel having gone on more trips and having made sure the boys would have their own place. They were able to pay the rent, both worked, so she was not worried at all. She also knew Jackson could take care of the maintenance of the place, he was a builder after all!

"Aaron, stop fussing, you'll be fine," Jackson said, after seeing him adjusting his shirt for the third time.

The boys were getting ready, they were going to the award ceremony at Bar West.

* * *

The place was buzzing and it was packed already when they arrived. The organizers had asked the three award winners and their guests to arrive about an hour before the ceremony so they could be shown to their area, have time to go over the program with the host for the evening and just get settled. They were in a bit of a separate area and the rest of the facility was occupied by friends and the usual crowd.

The room was festooned with pride flags and Bar West corporate flags. It looked pretty good. The stage had large flower arrangements that had been provided by one of the sponsors for the evening and it added a touch of class to the whole place.

Aaron was nervous about the whole thing, but Jackson's presence had a calming effect on him, so he knew things would be fine.

Paddy was there along with Rhona, Cain, Marlon, Adam and Chas. Some other people from the village joined them and they were in the crowd.

Everyone had something to drink and they were all waiting for the evening to start. As they were chatting, Aaron and Jackson spotted Ray and they waved at him. He was accompanied by his parents. They made their way to where the boys were.

"Hi guys, nice to see you here," Ray said with a big smile.

"I think you might have something to do with that, right?" Aaron replied with a broad smile as he gestured to the stage and showed him the program for the evening.

"Maybe," Ray said, very pleased with himself. "Oh, I want you to meet my parents. Mum, dad, this is Aaron and Jackson. Aaron was the one who came to my rescue in the alley."

They all shook hands. Ray's parents expressed their gratitude to Aaron for what he had done, but Aaron was quick to point out that he played only a small part. Jackson's the one who called for assistance. He was not the only one to have helped.

"Aaron was incredibly brave to have tackled that guy, and I will always be grateful," Ray said to his parents. Looking at Aaron, he added, "I'm sorry you had to suffer, too, I guess you were kicked and punched yourself by that guy. I hope you're OK now." He shot a quick glance at Jackson, remembering their conversation in front of the Woolpack. He didn't add anything else. Jackson acknowledged him with a quick wink.

"I'll be fine, don't worry about me. It's you we're worried about, have you been doing better since we saw you earlier this summer?"

He knew what Aaron was referring to. "Yes, I am doing much better, I am seeing a counselor," and glancing at his parents, he added, "they know about the nightmares, so I have plenty of support. I'm almost done with the sessions."

"That's good news, Ray," Jackson said, really pleased at hearing the young man was feeling better. "Now, let's make sure we can have a drink together after the ceremony, it would be nice to chat with you and your parents, if that's alright with you."

"We'd love that, actually, and there's something I need to give you, so we'll do that later." Ray was carrying a bag with a package nicely wrapped up in it. The three of them went to get seats and Aaron and Jackson went back to join their family and friends.

"Ladies and gentlemen, if I can have your attention, please." The voice of the host for the evening was heard over the sound system. Everyone turned to pay attention to the man on the stage.

Aaron grabbed Jackson's hand tightly and smiled at him.

"You'll be fine, babe, you'll be fine," Jackson said in a hush voice. He was so close to Aaron's ear when he spoke to him that Aaron felt Jackson's warm breath on the side of his face and it sent a wonderful sensation through his body. He turned and smiled at Jackson.

"This evening is about celebration. We have three awards to give out. The first one is dedicated to our staff and the winner was chosen by the public; the second is provided by Bar West in honour of some outstanding support from corporate sponsors who believe in us and help us organize activities and special events throughout the year; and the last one, which is one we are very proud of, is to recognize a patron or a citizen who contributed to a safer gay community."

The host waited for the applause to subside a bit before continuing. Everyone in Aaron's party was looking at him, so proud of what was to come.

The first two awards were presented, the recipients had gone up on stage to receive them, say a few words and have their picture taken for the Wall of Fame in Bar West and for the newspaper.

"It is now time for our third award to be presented," said the host. "We are particularly proud of this award because, in our opinion, everyone should be safe and should feel safe around our bar and in our community. I don't have to remind you of what happened in the alley next door a number of months ago. We all felt sad and disturbed by it. We are very happy to be able to say that the young victim is doing fine, he recovered well and he is with us tonight." People started applauding at this bit of news and were looking around to see him. Ray decided to stand up, shyly, and wave briefly at the crowd who had intensified its applause.

"Fortunately," the host continued, "someone was quick to react and to come to the assistance of that young man. This guardian angel of sort was nominated for the award but we also received many letters that were not nominations per se but that supported the courageous action of the award recipient."

Aaron was getting nervous listening to the guy. Leaning towards Jackson, he whispered, "How long is he going to go on?" Jackson smiled at him. "It's almost over, babe, the star will be revealed!"

Aaron gave him a look. "Shut up, you!" Jackson just squeezed his hand in reply.

"So, the job of choosing a recipient this year was very easy; it was the only nomination we had but it was so well supported, more than we've had in the past. Ladies and gentlemen, the Bar West Award for a Safer Gay Community goes this year to Aaron Livesy!"

Everyone broke into applause, cheers and whistling as Aaron got up to go to the stage to receive his award. As he got up, he kept his hand tightly gripped to Jackson's, he was not going up there by himself! "Jackson, you're coming with me, please." Given that they had to move quickly, and knowing Aaron was quite nervous, he smiled at him and shook his head lightly, then got up to follow Aaron.

Jackson stayed behind a bit as Aaron received the award from the manager of Bar West. He shook Aaron's hand and congratulated him. As he was holding the award, Aaron slowly approached the microphone to say a few words. He was actually going to do this.

"Well, this will be short! I feel a little embarrassed receiving this when I wasn't the only one there." He turned to Jackson and motioned to him to come forward. "My boyfriend Jackson was there and he called the emergency services, then there were also four other lads who chased down the guy and held him while waiting for the police. I suppose I just got the ball rolling. Anyway, I really hope something like this doesn't happen again. Ray didn't deserve to be beaten up, no one deserves that kind of treatment. No one."

After thanking the manager again and lifting the award up a bit in order to acknowledge the big round of applause he was receiving, he turned to Jackson, put his hand behind his back and made him go down the stage before him. As they made their way back to their seats, people were congratulating him and having nice words for Jackson, too. It was a memorable moment.

Back at the table with their friends and family, Aaron was glad this was over. He was proud of the award but this kind of attention always made him uncomfortable.

"Well, Mr. Livesy, you did very well up there," Jackson said as he kissed him, "really proud of you, you know!"

"Thanks, I'm just glad it's over though." Everyone was congratulating him and patting him on the back. Cain was quite proud of his nephew. "You did good, there, Aaron. I'm really pleased for you," Cain said as he put a hand on his shoulder. "Pint?"

"Oh yeah, two or three actually!" Aaron replied, so relieved the whole thing was over. Cain went over to the bar to get three pints.

Shortly after, Ray and his parents made their way over to see Aaron and Jackson.

"Congratulations, Aaron," Ray said as he took him in his arms for a nice hug. "I'm really pleased they accepted the nomination."

"You shouldn't have done that, there was no need," Aaron replied.

"I wanted to. I've told you before how grateful I was and that I would never forget what you did for me. By the way, I have a little something for you and Jackson."

Ray pulled something out of his bag and gave it to Aaron and Jackson. They looked at him, then at the package, surprised and curious.

"Can we open it here," asked Jackson.

"Of course. It's just a small gift I want to give you to say thank you properly."

The boys had an inkling that it was a picture of some sort given the shape of the object and how it felt under their fingers. So they tore the wrapping paper and were finally able to looked at what it was. Their eyes widened in surprise. Ray had taken his original work and had it framed properly in a shop.

The boys smiled when they saw themselves in the picture. They remembered the picture Ray had taken when he came to the village. So, that's what he did with the picture, they thought.

"This is absolutely beautiful," said Aaron, who was very grateful for this wonderful gift. "I didn't know you were an artist…"

"… and a very talented one at that," Jackson quickly added. "So now I know what you meant when you gave Aaron the card after we met at the Woolpack and you said 'that will do for now'. Thank you so much. We're very touched."

After putting the picture on the table, Aaron and Jackson each gave Ray a long, heartfelt hug to thank him for his very generous gift. They were truly pleased with it.

"This will hang in a special place in our house," Aaron said, looking at the picture. He really liked it. "I hope you'll come and visit so you can see it hanging on the wall."

"I'd like that," Ray replied. "I hope we can remain friends."

"I know we will," Jackson said with a smile. "Now, how about a pint?"

Aaron just remembered that Cain had gone to get a couple but realised he was nowhere to be seen with the pints. After telling Jackson about it, he turned to the bar and saw that Cain was still there and… he was being chatted up by some bloke!

"Jackson, look over at the bar," Aaron said with amusement in his voice. Should we go rescue him?"

"Absolutely not, Cain's a big boy, I'm sure he can handle the attention," Jackson replied with a devilish look on his face.

"You're bad," Aaron said with a big grin on his face. "I'll just go over to get the pints and be right back." Aaron kissed his boyfriend quickly before walking away.

While he was gone, Jackson, Ray and Ray's parents started chatting. Jackson found out that Ray's mother was a retired teacher and that his father was a senior manager for a supermarket chain.

As they chatted, Aaron came back with the drinks and set them on the table. The conversation continued easily, everyone enjoying the evening. At about 10:30, Ray's parents decided to leave but made sure Ray would stay and continued to enjoy himself.

They all shook hands before Ray's parents left. Again, they thanked Aaron and Jackson for what they did and for being so nice to Ray.

"Not at all," Jackson replied with a smile, "and don't worry, we'll put him in a taxi at the end of the evening to make sure he makes it back home safely."

They all had a chuckle but still, Ray's parents were reassured by Jackson's words. They knew they wouldn't have to worry.

A little bit later, Cain came back to join the boys. Aaron was looking at him with a smirk on his face, "So, did you get yourself a date?" He thought that after all the ribbing Cain gave him after he came out, he could allow himself a little joke at his expense.

"Nah, I told him he wasn't my type," Cain replied, "he was gutted, but I let him off easy."

Jackson laughed, "Right, I'm sure you did."

"Hey, I can be nice when I want. By the way, Aaron," he said as he turned to him, "Brad's in the car parts business. We might be doing business with him. I told him I had to discuss it with you first, you know, since you're part owner."

"Brad?" Aaron asked, surprise etched all over his face. "You guys are on a first name basis now?"

"Well, he introduced himself as he started hitting on me. You gays can be very formal sometimes. I didn't know that." He was just trying to wind the boys up, but they didn't bite.

"Cain," Jackson said, chuckling, "if I didn't know you better…"

"Luckily, you know him better," Aaron piped in. "Anyway, we'll talk about that on Monday, right now, we're here to have some fun."

The rest of the evening was great, they had a good time, had a few drinks and decided to go home around midnight. As promised, Aaron and Jackson made sure Ray got a taxi to go back home. They didn't want to take any chances.

TBC


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"Stupid, bloody jerk!" Aaron exclaimed as he was reading the newspaper.

"What's going on, Aaron?" Jackson enquired at the sudden outburst. He came out of the kitchen and into the living room.

"Look at that headline," he said as he handed the paper to Jackson.

_Man charged with ABH receives award._ The article linked Aaron to what happened almost six years ago now. The headline was more for grabbing the attention of the readers than actually establishing a real link between what Aaron did and what happened in the Woolpack with Jackson.

"God, that is such a cheap shot, I am so sorry, Aaron," Jackson said, feeling sad for Aaron. He knew this was going to hurt him. He was proud of what he did, namely help Ray, and he didn't think it had anything to do with intentionally hitting someone the way he had hit him at the time. Besides, he had done the 150 hours of community payback, so he had paid his due, and in his opinion, this was in the past, he never thought the paper would have dug that up.

"You should try to ignore it," encouraged Jackson, "I know it's hard, but you and I know that the ABH episode is in the past, it's behind us. We're not talking about it anymore. Let them stoop low if they want, you know what you did was right and the award was well-deserved. Everyone knows that."

"Yeah, I know, but still." Aaron was quite disappointed.

The phone had rung a number of times during the evening. Ray had called, then Mark and Brian. They all expressed their support for Aaron and were quite outraged at the way the newspaper had handled what was supposed to be good news.

A few days had gone by and Aaron was back to normal. Plenty to do at the garage…

Later that week, Aaron got another surprise, but that one was a good one. Upon opening the paper, he saw that the section for the Letters to the Editor had been expanded to make room for some of the dozens of letters that the newspaper had received expressing support for Aaron and the award he had received, and criticising the news reporter for his approach to something that should have been covered in a more positive way. One of the letters came from Bar West's manager, and he reiterated that the committee hadn't changed its mind, the members stood by their decision.

Aaron felt so much better after reading these letters. Sure, there were a few readers who felt the article was balanced, that people were entitled to know the full story, but they were few and far between.

"Now that things are settled, I think we should find a nice spot for the picture Ray gave us." Aaron was still quite taken by that picture. He liked it very much. He didn't know much about art but he knew what he liked.

"Why don't we find a spot in the living room or in our bedroom?" Jackson replied. Both rooms would be suitable, he thought.

"I'd prefer the living room because then people could see it. We like it and we're proud of who gave it to us, so it would be nice if other people could get to see it and enjoy it."

"That's settled, then," Jackson said as he got up to get some tools to install the picture on the wall.

Aaron was thinking about Ray. He was glad the lad was back in fine form and that he had started college as expected. But he was also very grateful for this generous gift. It was beautiful and they both really liked it. Aaron had made a point of calling Ray a few days after the awards ceremony to thank him again for the picture.

"So, ready for a weekend in Beaumaris?" Jackson was quite excited by the idea of going away for the weekend and to spend it with Aaron, Mark and Brian.

"Yes, I am. It'll be good to go away and do nothing, just relax and spend some time with our friends."

Over the years, Aaron and Jackson had become quite close with Mark and Brian. Well, Aaron and Brian started their friendship in college, but still, it was different to keep that friendship going as adults since both of them, well the four of them, were now in their mid- to late twenties. The support they gave each other had a new dimension, their time together was more quality time than drink-and-get-drunk kind of time! They still had a lot of fun when they went out, but it was a bit different.

Over the years, Brian and Mark had started doing volunteer work, either individually or together. A friend of theirs who worked at a shelter for gay teens, had asked them if they would accept to come and talk to the teens about their experience, what it meant for them to be gay, how they came out, their feelings at the time, their fears, that sort of things. At first, they had been quite hesitant. They were both very private and they never thought they'd be able to do that, although they really wanted to do something to help.

Coming out for them was a major step but fortunately, it was not overly difficult. The usual hesitations, doubts, fears of rejection – typical stuff. Mind you, no matter how typical people say it is, it still represents a huge hurdle to jump when it's you, when it's your life and your parents and your friends. You think you're going to lose all these people when in reality, they often don't care. They're just happy that you got over it, that you felt comfortable enough to finally make the move, share that part of you with them, and they just want to keep on going with life.

It's not that they don't understand how difficult it was for you to come out to them, they generally do. And you, well, you look at them wondering why you doubted their understanding, their acceptance, their friendship and their love. It sort of deflates that big bubble of apprehension you had built around yourself and leaves you with an anticlimactic feeling, so to speak, but a good one, oddly enough. Not that you want the climax to be a big argument, an all-out fight with your parents for acceptance, but you still prepared yourself for that and now that you're ready, they almost look at you as if to say, 'Right, you're gay. Well, good for you, we've known for a while, but we were just waiting for you to feel comfortable enough to say it. We still love you and, oh dear, I'm late for my appointment, see you in a bit.'

Mark didn't have a great experience coming out to his mother, but he got over it with his boyfriend's support. Mark's parents had divorced many years before he had to deal with his mother. So with his father, it was still fuzzy. He introduced Brian as his roommate, but when you're into your twenties, you don't really have a roommate. You don't share a house that you bought together. So he believes that his father got the idea but never said anything. He was always pleasant to Brian and Brian was fine with that little game. Mark rarely saw his father, so Brian didn't have to pretend to like him. He, too, could be polite and keep things under control.

So they had started to go to the shelter to talk to the teens. Overall, their experience had been good, the teens were interested and had plenty of questions to ask. They found themselves at a loss when questions were about social activism. Brian and Mark were out but not out as in walking-down-the-street-holding-hands to protest for rights equality. The staff had been helpful in those situations, indicating that not everyone wants to be a public hero and that coming here was their way of making a difference. The teens understood and appreciated their involvement. Mark and Brian also got a lot out of doing this kind of work. There was a sense of usefulness, a feeling of satisfaction for doing something to help these young gay men and women come to grips with themselves. They didn't have that kind of help when they came out, but it didn't mean they couldn't do something now to help others. They couldn't reach every one of them in the same way, and they knew that, but at least they were happy to help those they could help.

TBC


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

The four of them were supposed to meet at Brian and Mark's place around 7 p.m. on Friday night; the drive to Beaumaris would take about an hour, and they could be there late Friday night in time for some takeaway and a couple of cans.

When he died, Brian's uncle had left his family this beautiful house. It was located up a side street in Beaumaris, and you could still walk to the waterfront area in about fifteen minutes. It was a two-storey stone building, four bedrooms upstairs with a full bathroom, and then formal dining room, kitchen, living room and a large den downstairs. He used the den as an office. The house contained all kinds of interesting items, plenty of books, a few original paintings and nice furniture. The family had decided to leave it as is, to clean up a bit, but otherwise to continue using it the way uncle Marty had used it. In the back, he had a gardener put together a typical English garden and there was a patio where you could enjoy the sun and some privacy. There were no neighbours on either side.

"Wow, this is a beautiful place," exclaimed Jackson when they came inside. His builder's eyes were looking at the details in the construction, the way the place was finished and decorated. He could recognise quality work when he saw it.

"Yeah, we like it," Brian said. "My parents like to come and spend a couple of weeks at a time. Being retired, it's not a problem for them. My brother and I come on occasion, like I'm doing now with you. We like to bring people with us, it's a shame to have this beautiful place and not share it."

"Well, that's very generous of you, and we certainly appreciate the invitation." Aaron was looking forward to this time away with his friends and with Jackson.

"Why don't you guys come with me and I'll show you to your room," Brian said, leading the way upstairs. Mark stayed downstairs to put away some things in the kitchen and he ordered the takeaway that would be arriving in about an hour. He checked to make sure there were cans in the fridge and he opened the wine cabinet to make sure there were a few bottles there for him and Jackson.

Aaron and Jackson were just amazed by the size of the rooms and by the furniture. "It looks like a castle," Aaron said.

"Well, it's not a castle but it feels big enough and there is plenty of room for large gatherings, so it's convenient," Brian added.

"Considering the size of this bed, I might be able to sleep without being pressed into the mattress by my adoring boyfriend here," Jackson said with a smile on his face. Aaron had the habit of draping himself over Jackson and basically pinning him down on the mattress.

"You will regret those words," Aaron replied. He turned to Brian: "Would you have another room where I can sleep in peace and not disturb Mr. Walsh?" he said, very seriously, but not for long because he started chuckling while turning back to Jackson.

"You couldn't spend a night away from me, unless you were taken away and shackled in a dark dungeon," Jackson replied while putting his arm around Aaron's waist. Pretending to be shocked, Aaron quickly replied, "Jackson, I don't think Brian is interested in our dirty little secrets!" As they got closer, they exchanged a quick kiss and Aaron had a devilish look in his eyes.

"Alright, lover boys, let me leave the room before you rip each other's clothes off and get the toys out!" Brian was joking and they all had a good laugh. He left them to unpack and told them to come downstairs when they were ready.

Sitting around the table, they enjoyed the Indian food that had arrived. Inevitably, the conversation came back to this beautiful house and all that was in it – period furniture, paintings, some replicas of Greek statues, plenty of books on travel. Marty had travelled quite a bit, especially to France and to Greece.

"So, Brian, tell us about your uncle, what did he do?" Aaron asked out of curiosity.

"Uncle Marty was quite unusual. He was queer, in the old sense of the word, but let's just say that I knew more about him than my parents think."

They all looked at him with a question mark on their faces. "Well, we want to know more," Jackson said, "don't just stop there, spill!"

After offering everyone another can, since Jackson and Mark had also opted for lager this time, Brian sat down at the table and started to tell them about his uncle Marty.

"He was my favourite uncle, we had a few things in common, like music and art, we got along well, but for the longest time, I just couldn't figure out why. In the forties or fifties, he went away to France to study for a few years and when he came back, he started teaching. He did that for many years, then became headmaster of the school where he taught. After a few years, he decided he had enough and went to work for the catholic diocese."

Aaron was intrigued. "That must have been quite a change, was he a religious man?"

"He was," Brian said, "but not the type who pushes his religion on you. And I appreciated that. He worked in pastoral services, which is essentially outreach services and administration for the diocese."

"And how was he queer?" Jackson asked. "I can't wait to hear more about him."

"One day, at a family reunion, he and I went for a walk, away from the crowds. We talked about stuff and I could sense he had something on his mind. We ended up talking about magazines we read and I dropped the title of a gay magazine, then he came back with another one. That's when the light really came on for both of us. We each had confirmation that the other was gay. From that point on, we were closer and talked a lot more."

"Did he have a boyfriend?"

"God no! Well, he told me that he had had one for a few years at some point, but their interests were not the same, and at the time, Marty had to focus on his studies and his work and the boyfriend only wanted to party and have sex."

Aaron cocked an eyebrow, "You make it sound like it's a bad thing!"

Jackson turned to him with a smile and a slap on the arm, "Behave, now."

"Tell them what he told you when you asked him about priesthood," Mark said.

"Ah, yeah. That was much later, when he had been in his last job for a number of years. He was quite involved in the Church and I had always wondered why he hadn't chosen to go into priesthood. I figured he must have had the call and all that was needed. So one day, when we had met for lunch at a pub, he had come to Hotten for meetings, I asked him."

"What was his answer?" Jackson asked.

"He said he chose not to take up priesthood because he knew he wouldn't have been able to keep his vows. The vows were a serious commitment to him and he figured he wouldn't have been able to honour that commitment, so he chose the work he did and that gave him enough satisfaction."

"That is quite something," Aaron said. "I'm impressed, especially with all the stuff we hear these days about priests who get involved with minors. And I'm not saying he did or would have." He stopped, suddenly embarrassed by how his words might have sounded. "Sorry, I honestly didn't mean anything by that."

"That's alright, Aaron, don't worry. He wasn't interested in minors, I can tell you that," Brian added with a smile. But yes, when he told me that, I suddenly had a new sense of respect for him. That was big." Brian was proud of his uncle. He was a good man, had served the diocese well over the years and was well respected by his peers. He really liked him.

* * *

Saturday started slowly. Aaron and Jackson were in bed, awake and sharing in each other's body. Their weekend mornings were often spent like that, having a quiet chat, drinking in each other's fine features, kissing themselves to a frenzy!

They heard some noise in the hallway and footsteps down the stairs. They figured their hosts were up and thought they should also get ready. Jackson made a move to get up, saying he was going to take his shower. Aaron's arm across his chest held him back.

"Sorry, can't leave the bed without paying the fee," Aaron said with a playful smile on his face.

"Fee? What fee?" exclaimed Jackson, amused by this little game.

"You must kiss the guard properly for your release."

He proceeded to kiss Aaron in a way that left no doubt the fee had been paid in full. "I'll even leave a tip to the guard, for good measure," Jackson added as he grabbed Aaron's cock and started a slow up-and-down movement. The quality of the fee paid had had its effect on the guard!

Jackson quickly made his way out of the bed and out of reach of Aaron's hand that came after him, wanting to keep him close.

"Fee's been paid, I gotta go take my shower now. You behave yourself!" With his hand on the door handle, Jackson looked at Aaron with a mischievous smile. He knew he had left his boyfriend wanting more.

"Well, I'll have to increase my fee next time," Aaron replied, his voice low and his eyes filled with lust.

"I think I'll be able to handle it! Besides, maybe I can give you a down payment tonight," Jackson replied, flashing Aaron his trademark smile that would melt his heart every time.

TBC


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Over breakfast, they discussed the plans for the day. The four of them decided to spend a couple of hours relaxing in the garden. The sun wasn't too high yet, so they could sit out and work on their tan without fearing a sunburn.

After cleaning up and putting things away, they all went to change into something suitable. Mark and Brian were ready first so they went out and settled into some lounge chairs. They had set up two other chairs near them for Aaron and Jackson.

After brushing their teeth, a routine Jackson had imposed on Aaron––it had to be done after breakfast!––, they were both back in their room, about to get changed. Jackson had packed swimming trunks and two pairs of shorts for Aaron. They all looked good on him, but one pair of shorts fitted a little shorter than the other one, just above the knees. He knew what Aaron was debating when he saw him looking at the shorts, trying to make a decision. Jackson had already changed into his shorts and he had a t-shirt flung over his shoulder, not bothering to put it on.

"I think I know why you're taking time to decide what to wear. Remember," he said softly while looking at him with a loving smile, "the three of us love you and we think you look good, no matter what you think or what you're worrying about. We'll be outside, waiting for you." He kissed him softly on the lips and left him with this thoughts before turning around and leaving the room.

"Yeah, I'll be there in a bit." Aaron smiled. He was thinking about the silly fear he still had and finally decided it had to stop. Tons of people have scars for all kinds of reasons, and it doesn't stop them. He just had to move on and put this behind him. Running his fingers over the scar, he decided that from now on, it was going to be his badge of honour, his medal for helping someone in need. He chose the shorts that would fit him best, the shorter ones, and he picked up a t-shirt.

"What a beautiful garden," Aaron exclaimed when he came outside to join Jackson and their friends.

"Well, isn't it nice of you to join us," Brian said. "We have a chair here for you and a towel if you need one. Lemonade and glasses on the table behind you; help yourself."

After thanking Brian, Aaron put his sunglasses on and settled in his chair, feeling the heat of the sun and enjoying the calmness of the surroundings.

Jackson looked at him with a smile on his face. He was so proud of his boyfriend. He knew that the issue was behind them when he noticed the shorts he was wearing. Aaron could feel Jackson's eyes on him. He turned his head, lowered his sunglasses and looked at Jackson with a smile that said all that needed to be said. He pushed his glasses back up on his nose and rested his head back. This was going to be a very nice day.

Mid-morning, they decided to put some clothes on and walk into town. There were a few things to see and they chose to visit the Beaumaris castle. Might as well see the key attraction if they only saw one thing. The visit took them almost two hours. On the way back, they stopped at the Castle Bakery to grab some pastries, something different for breakfast on Sunday morning.

Afterwards, they stopped at a nice little take-away place to get some food that they would bring along and eat on the jetty. Aaron and Jackson commented on how beautiful the place was, the low mountains across the water, the colours, and all the beautiful houses along the waterfront.

"It's a lovely spot, I can see why my uncle liked the place," Brian said. "But I'm not sure I would live here all the time. Bit too quiet for me, and too many tourists! It's ok for visits like this."

"Why don't we walk back along Castle Street, check out the shops," Mark suggested. As they were walking, Aaron spotted a great shop called Fat Face and decided to go in. They had some really cool clothes that Aaron liked. To everyone's surprise, he's the one who left with a bag containing a pair of shorts, a shirt and he bought a pair of rectangle wrap sunglasses. He looked very good with them. And while they were not watching, Aaron threw in a pair of red boxer shorts he would give Jackson as a gag gift.

"You surprise me sometimes," Jackson said as they walked along the pavement. He couldn't hide his surprise and amusement. He liked that unexpected side of his boyfriend.

"Well, I like to keep you on your toes," Aaron replied while slipping his free arm around his boyfriend's waist.

"Oi, you're in public, keep your hands to yourself you bloody queer!" The words came from behind them, the voice gravelly and shaky. It was an old couple, the man didn't seem at all pleased by what he was seeing.

Aaron turned to face him. He was not angry, and Jackson could see that, so he didn't move to put a calming hand on Aaron's arm.

"Why would you say that? All I'm doing is holding my boyfriend close to me, the same way you're holding your missus close to you," he said calmly as he pointed to the old man's arm that was wrapped around his wife's arm, probably more for support than anything else!

This whole scene was unfolding in front of the other three and of some passersby, and they just stood there, impressed by Aaron's assured words.

"Don't you dare compare us to you, young man. What you're doing is wrong, and you know it," the old man retorted, stressing his words while pointing his cane at Aaron.

Aaron looked at the man straight in the eye, "There is nothing wrong with loving someone, now jog on you old fool!" His tone was stern. He meant every word he said.

"Good for you, lad, good for you," one of the people standing at the scene said. It was a man in his late forties, maybe, accompanied by his wife. She nodded her head in agreement.

As Aaron was turning away from the old man and about to continue walking, he heard him say… "You, you just can't ta… aargh! Aargh!" The old man suddenly started clutching his chest, "Mildred, Mil… aargh!"

As the man collapsed on the ground, his wife let out a scream. "Willie, Willie, what is it, what's wrong?"

The four young men immediately turned around and looked at the scene in front of them. "The old bugger had a heart attack!" Jackson said as he approached the man. He looked at him carefully, realised he wasn't breathing. "Aaron, call for help, I'll start CPR right now."

Jackson turned the man on his back, positioned him properly and immediately started CPR. Mark and Brian moved to reassure the old lady. She was in quite a state, but seemed ok in their company.

It took a lot of physical effort but Jackson managed to revive the old man who was now conscious and breathing, but disoriented. Someone put a coat under his head so he'd be more comfortable; someone else had a blanket in their car and brought it out to spread it over him.

Jackson wasn't sure what else to do, so he stayed with him, trying to comfort him as best as he could, keeping an eye on him. The old man grumbled at being cared for by this queer but a swift remark from his wife cut his gripe short.

"This young man saved your life, don't be so ungrateful. I'm ashamed of you, Willie!" the old lady said. She couldn't believe her husband and she felt terrible for Jackson.

It wasn't long before the ambulance arrived; the paramedics took over and loaded the man in. Before getting behind the wheel, the ambulance driver said that performing CPR had indeed saved his life. Jackson was pleased with himself. He didn't really care about the old geezer, but still, it was the right thing to do.

The old lady looked at Jackson with some embarrassment as she clutched his hands, "He can be such a miserable man when he wants, but I love him. I am so sorry for what he said. He just doesn't understand these things."

"No worries," Jackson said. "I hope he'll be alright."

"I hope so too, thank you for helping him, I really mean that," she said as the paramedics were just about to drive away with both of them.

Aaron was standing still, stunned by what had happened. He was looking at the ambulance driving away, "Did I just about kill the old man?"

"What?" Jackson replied in surprise. "No, no you didn't. At that age, just about anything could trigger a heart attack. It's not your fault. You're not responsible for his age and his bad health, or his ill temper and ignorance, for that matter." He was trying to reassure him after noticing that he really was distressed by the whole incident.

"And since when do you know how to perform CPR?" Mark asked Jackson. "That came in very handy, Mr. Hero!"

"I'm no hero, don't be daft. Last big job I worked on, the boss had about thirty employees and given the size and length of the project, he thought it would be good that everyone knew basic first aid techniques. So he organized training sessions for the staff and we all had to take it. CPR was part of it."

"Well, lucky for me," Aaron said, still shaken. He was thinking that no matter how he tried, people were still getting hurt around him. Years ago, it was because of his bad mood and his fists, and now, even when he kept it all together, he still managed to give someone a heart attack! He just couldn't win!

Jackson was looking at Aaron. "Well, I don't know if it's luck or fate. It's all good now, so let's not worry about it anymore. There's nothing else we can do." As he said that, he put his hands on Aaron's upper arms and squeezed them gently to emphasize his words.

"OK, now that this is over, what do you say we walk home, drop our stuff, shower and have a drink. We can decide what we do for dinner over drinks," Brian suggested.

They all agreed and started walking back. Brian fell into step with Aaron and put a hand on his shoulder. "You going to be alright, mate?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Don't worry." Aaron was going to be fine, he just needed a bit of distance from this incident. "Thanks… thanks for asking," he said to Brian. He did appreciate his concern and the fact that he cared.

"You're our friend, Aaron, we want to make sure you're going to be alright. If you're not, you know what will happen."

"What?" Aaron wasn't sure what he was talking about.

"We'll simply babysit you and take care of you until you're either good to go or we drive you crazy!"

"Well, you're more likely to drive me crazy first, you bunch of muppets!"

"Ahhh, the gratitude," Jackson let out in a teasing way.

"The three of you, honestly," Mark said, smiling at them. "Come on, let's go.

* * *

Once they reached home, they went about for showers, they got changed into clothes for the evening and they gathered again in the living room.

"I can't believe how comfortable it is here," Aaron said once they were settled with a drink. "It's quiet and beautiful, but in a nice way, if you know what I mean."

"Yeah, I do," Brian said, "it's the kind of place where you're not afraid to sit down and enjoy where you are. The furniture is nice but you can sit on it! It's not just for show, it's lived in."

"That's it," Aaron replied.

Noticing a quiet moment in the conversation, Mark asked what everyone would like to do for dinner.

"If you don't mind, guys," Jackson said, "we'd love to take you out for dinner. Our treat to say thank you for this lovely weekend here. It is so nice of you to invite us."

Mark and Brian exchanged a smile. "Alright, you can take us out. Thank you! But you do know we like to have you around, you're our closest friends, and it also a treat for us to spend time with you."

"Well," Aaron said, "you're lucky to have us, you know how busy our social calendar is," he said in a cheeky way. They all had a good chuckle at that.

The four of them were indeed good friends, over the years their friendship had deepened. They talked to each other fairly regularly and tried to have dinner or lunch together every couple of months or so.

"Where should we go for dinner, then?" Aaron asked.

"There's a nice spot on High street called the Liverpool Arms Inn. I think it should be pretty decent," Brian answered.

TBC


	17. Chapter 17

_To all my readers and reviewers, thank you for sticking with my story, we're past the halfway point. This chapter and the next one should be both fun and reflective. Hope you enjoy. Of course, BIG THANK YOU to Mererid for the beta work she did a while ago now. Took me that long to get to this point! Enjoy._

Chapter 17

They entered the Liverpool Arms Inn and were greeted by a cheerful barmaid, Marge, she said her name was, and she offered to take them to a table.

"We'll be here for drinks and dinner," Jackson pointed out. Do you think we can have a window table?" He had already spotted a couple of tables available by the window, and was glancing at them, so she gladly took them to the best one. Besides, Jackson had flashed her his trademark smile and as soon as he did, she was all his! She was a woman of a certain age but that didn't seem to deter her in her attempts!

Once they were settled, she came back with menus. Looking straight at Jackson, she gave him her best sexy look and asked if anyone would like something to drink. The other boys noticed what was happening and they started smiling at Jackson in their most stupid and amused way, making faces at him.

"Jackson, what would you like to drink," Aaron piped up almost in a singing voice, "or are you too busy right now to decide on drinks?" He was having a great time here, and he thought he'd wind Jackson up a bit.

Jackson came back to reality and stared at Aaron, then at Brian and Mark. "You talking to me? Erm… I'll go for lager, thanks."

Mark turned to the waitress, flashed his sexiest smile at her and ordered a round of pints. They'd start with that.

"How embarrassing was that?" exclaimed Aaron, laughing as Marge walked away to get the pints.

"If we didn't know you better, we'd think you've turned!" Mark was so amused at how distracted Jackson had gotten with the waitress flirting shamelessly with him. Somehow, they thought she'd know, but since they all look pretty straight, how could she know.

"I was just being polite, you know me. She thinks I'm good looking, why would I not acknowledge that? You guys have no sense of how to deal with the ladies," Jackson declared, looking at his audience.

"Erm, excuse me, but I went out with two!" Aaron exclaimed.

"Please," Jackson replied, "you were a teenager at the time and you didn't know whether you were coming or going. That doesn't count."

"Of course, you're a bit older than most of us here, so we'll put it on account of experience," Mark said with a smirk.

Brian didn't miss a beat, "I guess she likes older men!"

"Oi, the three of you! You are just a bunch of uncouth prats in need of some manners. If you want, I can teach you, you know, for the right price!

They all had a good laugh at that and as they were carrying on, the drinks arrived. Their laughter died down a bit, they didn't want to have to explain anything to the waitress. And as Marge passed the drinks around, it started again, the eyes for Jackson, the smile, and the bit of cleavage as she bent slightly to hand him his pint since he was sitting at the far end of the table.

Seeing what the waitress was doing, Aaron leaned over to Jackson and whispered to him, but loud enough to be heard, "So, sweetie, you looking forward to spending the night with me in that big king size bed?"

Marge just about dropped the glass on the table. She nervously placed it on the coaster in front of Jackson, glanced quickly at him and Aaron and smiled a little shyly, "So, you two are together, then? You can't be, I mean, look at you!"

"What do you mean, look at them," Brian said. "We are looking at them and all we can see are two ugly mugs!" Mark burst out laughing.

"Oh you men, you're all the same," she said, now smiling after realising they were all gay. "Anyway, enjoy your drinks, I'll be back later to take your orders, yours included, sweetie," she said, looking straight at Jackson.

"Alright, you two, behave," Jackson said, a smile on his face. He liked his friends very much and he didn't mind that they had a laugh at his expense.

They enjoyed their drinks, a second round was called in and they ordered their food. After it arrived, they dug in like working men who hadn't eaten in ages. The table fell silent for a bit but the conversation picked up again. They talked about their day, their visit at the castle and, of course, what happened with the old man.

Aaron was still a bit uneasy about the whole thing, but his friends did their best to reassure him. Jackson told him again that at his age, anything can happen, and that it was not him who caused the heart attack. Aaron was feeling somewhat better, he needed the reassurance.

"You were amazing, Aaron, the reply you gave him was priceless. Such presence of mind," Mark pointed out. "And you kept your cool, which was so great. The way you looked at him when you said _There is nothing wrong with loving someone_, it was so honest. Even one of the bystanders agreed with you."

"I was so angry at that old fart for what he said," Aaron commented.

"Angry?" Brian said. "Aaron, I've known you for many years, and I've seen you angry. That, my friend, was pussy cat behaviour! Pussy cat with claws out, mind you, but still."

Aaron chuckled at that comment. "It's true," Jackson added, "that was the new Aaron and we really like him. Not only calmer, but proudly assertive!"

"I'll drink to that," Brian said raising his glass to toast Aaron; Jackson and Mark followed suit.

He really liked his friends, well, he loved Jackson immensely, but his friends, their friends, were special. He like their generosity and their simplicity. They supported him and Jackson is some bad times, opened their door when he needed to talk about his uncertainties with Jackson, they offered advice and he was grateful for their little push. Sometimes, it's all he needed, but he needed to hear it from another source, talk the situation out and make sense of it.

"Thanks, guys, that means a lot", Aaron said calmly, hesitating a bit, looking at the three men sitting with him at the table. Their words had pleased him a lot. Their validation was important, he only realised it then. "Over the past several years, you have been just brilliant with me. Jackson, of course, you have always been my rock, so I am not sure what I would do or where I would be without you."

Looking at Mark and Brian, he continued, "But you two, I realise now that you've done all kinds of small things to help me, especially after the incident in the alley behind Bar West, and during physio and even after. Quick visits, group outings, pizza nights at your place. You've always been around. Brian, now that I think about it, ever since we met at Bar West when we were both in college, you've always been there, doing something nice, saying something encouraging, listening to me. Don't go thinking I don't remember," he continued with a smile. Brian acknowledged what he had just said with a warm smile.

Aaron felt a little shy saying all that, after all, this is Aaron Livesy we're talking about here, the tough guy who doesn't do _gay_, but inside, he wanted to say this, he felt good saying thank you to people who cared about him.

There's nothing gay about being grateful to your friends, about making a point of thanking them, of telling them they are important in your life and you appreciate them. From experience, he knew he couldn't take good people for granted. And for once, he wasn't running away or pushing people away. He was done doing that, the past few years had changed him a lot.

"I really appreciate it. Sitting here with you, right now, I realise how much I have changed, how much things have changed for me, and how much you three have been a big part of that. I am a lot more comfortable with myself and I am really very comfortable with you. You have been such good friends, good friends I… I can trust."

The issue of trust was important for Aaron. There were very few people he came to trust in his life, beside Jackson, Paddy, Cain, his Mum to a certain extent, and Adam, his best mate.

Aaron's words came out slowly, not that they were difficult to say, but he was just thinking about what he was saying, acknowledging at the same time how much he had grown up as a young gay man. His past experiences had been a bit more trying than for most guys his age, but still, they were part of his past and he had been able to move on with Jackson's help. Mark and Brian had been touched by his honesty and his kind words. They were both feeling some heat creeping into their faces, and they acknowledged Aaron's words with warm smiles and a nod of the head.

Jackson looked at his boyfriend with his own warm, disarming smile, telling him by that how proud he was of him for saying this.

They agreed to have one last round before going back to the house. When they all had their drink, Aaron raised his glass, "To my good friends!" Later on, as they were about to leave, Marge came to say goodbye.

"You're not leaving already?"

"Well, we can't stay here all night and run you off your feet," Jackson said. "We don't want to tire you out."

"Suit yourself, sweetie," she said, still giving him her sexiest smile, but knowing very well she was wasting her time with him. "You guys have a good night."

Outside, Mark, Brian and Aaron, as if on cue, turned to Jackson with a mocking voice, "We don't want to tire you out." Jackson looked at them, feigning surprise, but burst out laughing as his three friends did the same.

Back at the house, they settled in the living room with a night cap, lagers for Aaron and Brian and a bottle of wine for Mark and Jackson. The conversation was flowing well but it somehow came back to what they were talking about at the restaurant.

"Aaron, we really appreciate the compliments, but you make it sound like this friendship is a one-way thing," Mark said, "that we were the only ones who gave, so to speak. Don't forget what you did for us, and what you still do."

"I don't do much compared to what you guys have done for me," Aaron replied.

Jackson was listening and noticed what was happening. In a soft voice, he said, "Old habits die hard, don't they, Aaron?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that for most of your teenage years and early on when we started dating, you had a hard time trusting people because you had been hurt so much, in so many ways. You thought you were not good enough for anyone, that no one would like you, would love you. And coming out wasn't easy..."

"No, it wasn't," he agreed, "but you helped me so much, Jackson, and you too," he added while turning to Mark and Brian. "Just being yourselves helped me. You were… normal… you know what I mean, and being around you made me feel more comfortable. You were gay, yeah, but you looked like regular guys and that was OK with me."

"You are a good man, Aaron, don't forget that, and you certainly are a good boyfriend for Jackson. You have changed a lot, you know," Brian said. "Yes, I remember after we met at Bar West. You mostly kept to yourself in class, probably keeping the walls up for your protection. But I wouldn't have said anything to anyone, you know that."

"Yeah, I know, I was being stupid. I hope I didn't hurt your feelings, but it was an automatic reaction, I guess. Always trying to protect myself from more hurt, more pain. I had always done that. Even if I had started to trust you, I still had to get to know you more, I suppose."

"Well, I don't blame you, don't worry. And people in class got to know you more, too. You probably didn't notice but quite a few people liked you, well… when you were not kicking off! You were often there to help someone on a big job or lend a hand when someone was having trouble with an assignment. You offered tips, but you always did it quietly, you didn't want to attract attention to you. You were learning fast, Aaron, you're a very good mechanic."

Jackson was listening, learning a few things he didn't know. He felt like teasing Aaron a bit: "Sorry, Brian, who are you talking about? It can't be my Aaron."

"Shut up, you," Aaron retorted with a smile, slight embarrassment creeping on his face.

"Ah, you didn't know that side of your boyfriend, did you," Mark said, happy to add to the banter. "There's a lot more to him than growls and scowls, you know."

"I know, deep down, there is a very good man, I see it all the time," Jackson said more seriously, looking straight into Aaron's eyes.

"And there is a very good friend, too," Brian added. "Don't forget the times you helped me move from apartment to apartment. You were there when my brother died, your support really helped me, you know. Listening to me and letting me cry like an idiot without saying anything, just being there, that's what a good friend does."

"You offered to help Brian fix my car so many times," Mark said. "I mean, who gets to have two fit and talented mechanics to work on his car? Not many people!"

"Well, Aaron, you'll just have to stand up like they do in AA meetings and say the words," Jackson said, knowing pretty well Aaron wouldn't know what he was talking about.

"What you going on about?" he asked, curious.

"You'll have to stand up and say it, 'Hi, my name is Aaron Livesy and I blush like crazy when my friends tell me I'm a good friend to them.' Come on, stand up!"

They all laughed, but Aaron was smiling more now, he wasn't blushing anymore and he was comfortable being the centre of attention, at least with Jackson and his friends. Maybe he finally understood that he too was a good friend, that he too was liked by people and that he had nothing to be ashamed of. Quite the contrary.

"Alright you muppets, enough group therapy for tonight, I'm knackered. I think we should turn in. I'll get a one-on-one session with my very own shrink here," he said looking at Jackson while licking his lips.

"You go, guys. We'll see you tomorrow for breakfast," Mark said as he got up to pick up the glasses and take them to the kitchen. "Good night and sleep tight, well, if you manage to sleep!"

"It will all depend on how receptive the patient will be to therapy," Jackson added with a chuckle. He took Aaron's hand and led him out to the stairs and up to their bedroom.

TBC


	18. Chapter 18

**To my readers who have followed me so far in this story, I wish a Happy Christmas and the very best in the New Year! Here is a short, sweet one on this Christmas Eve. It's not Christmas-themed, but it should make you feel good. Enjoy!**

Chapter 18

Aaron and Jackson were lying in bed, the duvet up to their hips. They were facing each other, exchanging kisses, just relaxing, happy to be together in this peaceful environment.

During the evening, Jackson had been thinking a lot, listening to the conversations, to Mark and Brian telling Aaron how good a person he was and making sure he realised people liked him, liked him very much. Enough of this 'I'm not good enough for people to like me' routine. It doesn't work anymore! They had tried to make sure his insecurities were not bothering him anymore, were not so present in his mind.

However, it all made Jackson think about his old insecurities, when he was in Aaron's shoes, and he figured it might be a boost to Aaron to hear about them, to know that he wasn't the only one to fight those demons, to have to face the challenges of being gay.

"Why you looking at me like that," Aaron asked, a small smile on his face.

"There's something I want to tell you." Jackson took a deep breath. "Remember today when we were talking about how difficult it had been for you to come out, we talked about your insecurities and all?"

"Yeah." Aaron was intrigued now.

"Well, you're not the only one to have had insecurities, and to still have some."

"What are you talking about, or more like, who are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about me," Jackson said, a bit of a smile on his face, realising Aaron didn't really believe that.

"You?" Aaron was surprised, a bit shocked. "You don't have insecurities. You're the one who helped me get over mine, come to grips with being gay. You can't have been insecure."

"Oh, but I was, I was so much, you wouldn't believe it! Sure, I'm a little older than you are…"

"A little?" Aaron interjected, a big grin on his face.

"Hey, you, be serious for a moment," Jackson said, punching him lightly on the arm. "I'm a little older and I had a couple of relationships before you, brief and unsuccessful, as you can imagine, but each time I was so nervous."

"Nervous about what?"

"About making sure I'd please the guy, be good enough for him, be worth his trouble. But I had never been as nervous as I was with you when we started dating. Oh my god, I was a wreck."

Aaron was smiling, not really believing his boyfriend.

"What was wrong with you? I was the one worrying that you wouldn't want me, that when you really found out about me, you'd run a million miles away from me, from all the trouble and baggage I was bringing along. Heck, I had decked you!"

"I know, but I liked you so much, I was afraid you wouldn't see that, you would be scared by someone so… desperate! I wanted to make sure I was good with you, that I was patient and that I was going to be able to help you come out and be comfortable being gay. I didn't expect to do that over a couple of dates, but I figured if we were going to date, I'd have time to work with you, show you how much you meant to me."

"Well, you were certainly patient, and good, and creative. We went out and you showed me a good time, you helped me be more comfortable with myself in public. That certainly is quite an accomplishment!"

"Yeah, I know, but all that time, all I could think about was 'is he liking me, are we clicking', because I was so taken by you, you had stolen my heart and I really liked you. I was slowly falling in love with you and I was so eager to make sure the feeling was mutual. You know, even with a couple of relationships before, it was still hard, still nerve-wracking. I don't know about other guys, but for me, meeting someone new, especially someone who has the effect you had on me, it's hell, I was nervous, I was anxious, I wanted it to work, and with you, I so wanted it to work because I knew you were the one for me."

"Well, it did and it still does, so stop worrying, you old woman!" Aaron said smiling. "My heart is yours and until further notice, it will always be." He looked into the warm, brown eyes of his boyfriend who slipped one of his arms under him, then brought him over on his chest and just wrapped his arms and legs around him, holding on tightly. Their bodies connected and the moment was magic, intense. They communicated their affection, their love for each other without anything else beside a long and heated kiss that took each other's breath away.

Aaron broke the kiss slowly and sat up. Jackson's hands were resting on Aaron's muscular legs.

Aaron took Jackson's hands in his and held them against his stomach. "You and I have been together about five years. You remember how I was when you first met me…"

"Oh yeah," Jackson said, "frightened, insecure and, of course, you didn't need help from anybody."

"Yeah, yeah, alright! I was stubborn, too… I guess I still am, so don't go thinking I'm perfect, now."

"What would give you that idea?" Jackson replied in a teasing way. Aaron looked at him, pulling a face, but not able at all to resist his charming boyfriend, unable even to come up with a scowl, just for effect.

"I'm serious. When I look at the past few of years, I have you to thank. I remember when I was trying so hard to avoid coming out to Paddy, I was horrified at the thought of being found out, of people knowing who I really was, I didn't want them to think or know that I could be doing _that_ with other men. I was terrified."

He had been terrified. Not unlike most young men who eventually find out they are gay, who come to realise that they are attracted to some of their mates or to other guys. At first, they don't really know what's going on, but as they grow up, they realise what it is. And then, as difficult as it is to come to grips with that, society tells them they are freaks, queers, poofs and benders – all hurtful words that are thrown at them, lashing at what they feel inside, what they feel in their heart. It is hard to understand those feelings when you're bombarded with these denigrating messages. At the same time, it is even harder to fight your impulses, your urges, your intimate thoughts and fantasies.

At some point, coming out was not an option for Aaron. He had to do it. Then Jackson appeared in his life.

Jackson was listening, staring in those blue eyes he loved so much, letting his fingers run along Aaron's stomach and sides. He didn't want to distract him too much though, because he knew how important this moment was, how difficult it still was for Aaron to say these things. After all, this is Aaron he was listening to, not his mother who was never short on words to say what was on her mind!

"Somehow, you showed me that doing _that_ with another man was actually… natural and good, it felt right." He stopped, unsure if he should continue. "Oh shit, Jay, am I really saying all this?" he said, slightly blushing.

"Yes, you are, and I am so proud of you, I am so happy that you can share your feelings with me," Jackson said with a reassuring smile. "I love listening to you say these things." His tone was soft, intimate, inviting. "I know how hard it is for you sometimes to open up, so please, go on."

Aaron looked at Jackson, knowing he really wanted him to continue and tell him what he thought. He took a deep, steadying breath, "You were so patient with me, you took time to let me get to know you, and to let me get to know myself. I discovered I could trust you, that you would never hurt me. I don't think there is a mean bone in you," he said, chuckling. "With you, I learned that passionate sex with a man is just… amazing. You showed me how mind-blowing it can be."

He stopped there for a moment, then added, "You also showed me how comforting it is to just be in your arms, to feel close to you, so close our bodies almost become one. I quickly loved the feeling of your strong arm over my chest, bringing me closer to you. Jackson, you have no idea how much I owe you for helping me the way you did. There, I said it, I needed help," he said, smiling shyly.

A tear ran down Aaron's cheek, a tear of happiness and gratitude. Jackson wiped it delicately with his thumb, and he stared at his boyfriend. "You don't owe me anything, Aaron. Knowing how you feel, how much happier you are, how much you've changed since we met and how much effort you make to show me you love me, all of that is payment enough, if there was ever any payment needed. I love you, Aaron, I really do!"

TBC


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Sunday was also a lazy day, the two couples finally made it downstairs for breakfast around 8:30. They enjoyed coffee and tea along with the pastries that they had bought the day before at the little bakery.

They discussed plans for the day, wondering how to spend the most part of Sunday since they would have to make their way back home around mid-afternoon.

Brian suggested they pack their bags and go for a drive along the coast, and on their way back off the island, before taking the road back to Hotten, he thought he would surprise them with an unexpected visit somewhere. There was someone he wanted Aaron and Jackson to meet.

They seemed fine with the plans. Just to be sure, Brian left the room to go make a call. He checked to make sure their visit wouldn't be too inconvenient. He ended his call and confirmed that it was all set.

Mark had a suspicion of where they would be stopping. He looked at Brian, "Is this who I think it is?" he asked with a smile.

"Yes, and she's all excited. She made me promise we'd be coming in with an appetite! You know what that means…"

"Oh yes, pots of tea, plates of sandwiches and a full variety of sweets. And she'll tell you it's just a snack, just to tie you up until tea time." They were both laughing, but across the table, Jackson and Aaron had a puzzled look on their faces. "Who are you talking about", Jackson enquired.

"It's a surprise, my friend, a surprise, but you'll love it!"

They cleaned up the table and did the dishes, picked up around the house to make sure to leave it clean before leaving. They were ready to go around 10 o'clock.

"This place is fantastic," Aaron said before thanking Brian again for inviting them for the weekend. The four of them piled into the car and left. They drove at a leisurely speed, enjoying the sights and the panorama, the ocean never too far, but at some point, they had to drive inland. They passed small towns, stopping here and there to stretch their legs and look around briefly. They saw plenty of open areas where the fields would extend in front of them, the patchwork of the colours pleasing to the eye. Around 12:30, they reached the intersection on the motorway where they could take the Menai Bridge; instead, they stayed on the island and made their way along Holyhead Road up to a small village. At the main intersection, Brian turned and drove down a lane until they reached a large house that was hidden behind tall, mature trees. The place was secluded and quiet, it looked amazing.

"Where are we going," Jackson asked, curious as to where their friends were taking them.

"I want you to meet my aunt Clara," Brian said. "She is a great woman, we've always been close, she's got a wicked sense of humour and she'll ask you all kinds of questions that will make you talk and tell her stuff you never imagined you'd tell a stranger. But she's a warm person, very welcoming and she's thrilled to finally meet you. Mark and I come and visit her from time to time, never often enough, of course, and we've talked about you. So now she'll get a chance to meet you."

"Alright then, let's see if Clara is as charming as you make her sound," Aaron said with a chuckle. He figured that she should be quite alright if she knew them both and was fine with them being a couple.

Aunt Clara was a woman in her late forties, average height, long, dark brown hair held on the sides with beautiful slides. They were delicate and decorated with small coloured stones that brought richness to them. Her eyes were bright and she had a warm smile. A nurse by profession, she had a way with people, she was sensitive, she could read them and she knew how to help them. She knew how to speak to them to make them feel comfortable, reassured. She was an amazing woman. She and her husband had four kids, all grown up now, although they were still living at home. She loved them dearly, but she thought it was time they flew the coop and lived on their own, see what life really is. But she wasn't pushing them out, obviously!

She was expecting her visitors so the door quickly opened when they approached the house, Brian didn't even have to knock.

"Welcome," she said as she saw them in the doorway, her tone cheerful and her smile warm. "Brian, it's so nice to see you. I haven't seen you in ages, you're neglecting your duties!"

"I know, aunt Clara, I know, but as you can imagine, between work and things, well, it's not easy." He was trying to make excuses, but she would have none of it.

"Don't worry, sweetheart, I understand, I'm just giving you a hard time." Turning to Mark, she took him in her arms and gave him a nice hug. She treated them like her sons, she really liked them both very much. "So nice to see you again, Mark."

"Nice to see you, too, aunt Clara, I've missed you." He had taken to calling her aunt Clara because he didn't feel comfortable calling her simply Clara. And Mrs. Rowan was just too formal. He still wanted to keep a certain element of respect towards her. "And you're right, Brian is neglecting his duties, we should come and visit more often, it's not as if you lived that far away."

Turning to Brian with her eyebrows up, she simply said, "You should listen to your husband, Brian, he's a smart man."

"Yes, I certainly should… as if! Listen, aunt Clara, I want you to meet our very good friends, Aaron and Jackson. Aaron, Jackson, this is aunt Clara," he said motioning between her and his friends.

She looked at them with a big smile, she was so pleased to finally meet the mysterious friends she had heard about already. They were good-looking young men. She immediately noticed Aaron's piercing blue eyes and his honest smile; she shook his hand immediately. Then turning to Jackson, she just couldn't hide her feminine admiration for someone with a beard and beautiful curly hair like his. Well, she also liked his dark brown eyes and the sparkle in them. She shook his hand, but held it just a bit longer, unable to let it go as she was talking to him.

"Well, I'm a lucky woman, I have you all to myself. My husband is working today and the kids are all gone off to see their friends and do their own thing." Turning to Aaron and Jackson, she added, "Please excuse the mess that seems to spill from the other room. David, my DIY specialist of a husband, has decided to replace the old fireplace with a wood-burning stove. It's been chaos for the past week. Not sure I'll survive!"

"Don't worry," Jackson quickly replied, "I'm a builder, I'm used to that kind of mess. Big project he's tackling there," he replied as he peered into the next room to assess the work in progress. "It's looking good, obviously knows what he's doing," he added before turning to see a baffled Clara doing her best not to burst out laughing.

"You're kidding, right?" she said incredulously.

"Of course not, I'm serious. He's doing all the right things, the supports are there, the framing, the tiles and all. If he was in the business, he'd be strong competition."

Turning to Aaron, she said, "This your boyfriend?"

"He is, yes," he said with a smile on his face. He knew where she was going with this.

"He is one funny guy, I tell you," she said smiling at him and shaking her head. Turning back to Jackson, who had that she-doesn't-believe-me kind of look on his face, she smiled at him and put her hand on his arm. "I like you," she said, chuckling a little bit. "Now, come, I've got some food for you all and I'll put the kettle on. Who wants tea, who wants coffee?"

They sat comfortably in the kitchen for a couple of hours. They ate too many sandwiches, drank far too many cups of tea, and talked about many things. The conversation flowed easily between the five of them. She wanted to know everything about Aaron and Jackson, the work they did, how they met, if they had plans to get married. Oh yes, Clara wasn't shy. She just asked them!

Jackson wasn't sure how to reply to that one. He looked at Aaron and they smiled, but all he said was that they hadn't talked about it yet. They certainly loved each other a lot but their commitment for each other would have to be it for a while until they made that decision.

They told her about their stay at Beaumaris and what happened with the old man. She was surprised and disappointed, actually sad that someone would say something like that in this day and age. Mark was quick to point out what Aaron had said to the man, how proud they were of his quick thinking. Poor Aaron had been blushing terribly!

Brian asked Clara how she was doing, he wanted to know about her back. She suffered from back problems and had an operation recently. She told him the operation went well but that it wouldn't change much. It would stop the problem from getting worse, but she was still living with fairly constant pain that made her daily routine just a bit more difficult than it should be. But through it all, she said she had to carry on. Life goes on, she says, and she must keep pace. She admitted, reluctantly, that it wasn't easy sometimes, but she was a very lucky woman because of her husband who loved her very much. His love made her life easier, good and worthwhile. She did love him dearly, too, even when he started a renovation project.

Time flew by quickly and they now had to leave if they were to make it back to Hotten for tea. Jackson and Aaron also had to drive back to Emmerdale.

"It was very nice to meet you," Aaron said to Clara. He genuinely enjoyed meeting her and told her she would have to come up to Emmerdale to visit them at some point. "Emmerdale isn't too far from Hotten, so next time you can visit Brian, make sure to keep some time for us. We would love to show you around the village." She promised to think about it.

As they were about to leave the house, she gave each boy a great big hug, holding on to Jackson just a little longer. She was so fond of him. Brian noticed it and smiled warmly to Jackson and Aaron. He didn't mind the attention Clara was giving Jackson. He knew she meant well.

"Take care of yourselves, boys, and drive carefully." Clara waved at them as they walked to the car and drove away.

Back on the road, Aaron couldn't wait to take the mickey out of Jackson. "Well, Clara certainly had a nice long hug for you, didn't she?" he said winking at Jackson.

"What can I say, boys, it's my charm, women can't have enough of me."

TBC


	20. Chapter 20

**To all of you, I wish the very best in 2013. Good health, happiness and love. And plenty of good reading!**

Chapter 20

_**For mature readers... What can I say… Smut warning!**_

As they were driving along the motorway, Jackson asked Mark about their volunteering at the shelter. He wanted to know more about it. Mark told him that the visits to the shelter were less frequent now. Their new involvement meant that he and Brian were going to visit specific classrooms to speak to students about their experience as gay persons. Their presentation would take place during social sciences class and the students would be around 16 or 17 years old. These presentations were organized by the shelter, though, and there was always a member of the shelter team who came along with them, and the teacher remained in class with them.

"How do you feel when you stand in front of a classroom?" Aaron asked, curious about it.

"Well, at first, we were not sure, it was quite nerve-wracking. You know we're both pretty private and this kind of opens the door on us and exposes us, but at the same time, the schools are in another town. It's usually about an hour's drive away."

Aaron came along with another question, "Do the kids ask a lot of questions?"

"They do and they don't, it depends on the group and on the dynamics in that group. As you can imagine, there are students who are more open and interested, then you've got the prats who want to show off, and then there are the quiet ones." Brian paused a moment before continuing, "Among the quiet ones, you can often see if one is gay, you can sense it if you've got a bit of a gaydar. Sometimes, it's one of the few who will ask questions. It all depends, but every time, it's very interesting. After a few meetings like that, we became more comfortable."

Jackson was looking at Aaron, fascinated by the fact he was asking those questions. Was he interested? He thought he should let it go for now, but he intended to ask him about it later, after Aaron would have had some time to think. Jackson would actually be interested in doing that stuff, if his work schedule would allow it.

Monday came and went, Aaron and Jackson had a great weekend and were well rested for the week ahead.

Aaron came home around five and just flopped on the sofa, tired, happy to be in their quiet little world. He liked their home, Dale Head was a nice place, comfortable, with plenty of room for their needs.

He was waiting for Jackson who was supposed to arrive around 5:30. He had texted Aaron to say he'd be a bit late, trying to finish a job. Aaron had rested his head on the arm of the sofa and dozed off for a bit. The sound of Jackson's van arriving and parking next door woke him up. He ran his hands over his face and got up to greet his boyfriend at the door, opening it before Jackson had time to put his hand on the handle.

"Hey, sweetie," Aaron said as he let Jackson come in, but quickly grabbing his arm and turning him so they would face each other. With his other hand, Aaron closed the door then came closer and wrapped his arms around Jackson, planting a sweet, long kiss on his lips.

"Well, hey to you too, what a nice way to finish a Monday. Can we arrange that for every day of the week?"

"We can," Aaron said, "but it wouldn't be special anymore now, would it?"

Aaron kissed him again then broke the kiss slowly and put his head on Jackson's shoulder, nuzzling his face into his neck and inhaling his scent. "It's so nice to hold you like this. Love the way you smell."

"And what do you smell?" Jackson asked, slightly intrigued.

"It's early Autumn and you don't sweat as much, so you smell a combination of your usual musk, plus the smell of wood with a hint of your shower gel that still lingers. It's bloody intoxicating, if you ask me."

Pulling away slightly, Jackson looked at him with a small smile, "Well, Livesy, you never cease to surprise me." His voice was low, husky. "Those words coming from you, it's… very sensual, are you after my body again?"

"I'm always after your body, you know that, but don't push it. The top part of you smells sexy, but I don't know about the rest. So head for the shower and then I'll treat you to Marlon's Monday night special at the Woolie."

"Oh, big spender you are tonight, aren't you? What's the occasion?"

"It's Monday night, that's the occasion. Now go, and if you're lucky, I might even join you. That way, we'll save on the water bill."

Jackson chuckled and left him but not before slapping his butt, he always enjoyed doing that. Once upstairs, he shed his work clothes, hung them in their usual place in a separate closet in their bedroom and headed for the bathroom.

Standing naked in the shower, he let the warm water soak his face, his hair, and cascade down his body. A hot shower always made him feel good, refreshed. After a moment, he noticed the bathroom door opening and saw Aaron coming in, quickly peeling off his clothes and stepping in the shower behind him.

Aaron let his body press against Jackson's back while putting his arms around his chest, his skilled fingers reaching for Jackson's nipples, squeezing them and rolling them between his thumbs and forefingers. Jackson let out a low moan, the pleasure, evident, the sensation, sharp. Jackson moved his head back and leant it on Aaron's shoulder while Aaron was kissing his neck and nibbling on it.

Aaron's taut belly fitted perfectly in the small of Jackson's back, Aaron's cock trailing along his boyfriend's ass crack. He held that position for a little bit then slowly let go of Jackson. Reaching in front of him, he took the shower gel and applied a generous dollop of it on the hand brush he took from the shelf and started lathering up Jackson's body and brushing him lightly, doing circles all over his back, running the brush along his backbone, and along his shoulders. He moved forward and deposited kisses along the nape of his neck before bringing the brush to the area and running it in a soothing manner. Slowly, he turned Jackson around and applied more gel to the brush. He now proceeded to brush Jackson's chest, rubbing his nipples with the soft bristles in circular motions, then going down on his stomach, careful to avoid Jackson's cock which was now standing at attention. With his finger, Aaron pulled it away from Jackson's belly and brushed over his pubic area, around on the hip bones, knowing full well he was just teasing his boyfriend, making him wait for what was coming later.

Once he was done with the front and back of the top part of his body, he knelt on the floor of the shower stall and started doing the same to Jackson's muscular legs. He liked how the hair on his legs would matt against the skin with the water and the soap running on them; it created unexpected figures and patterns as he used the brush up and down his legs. He did that to both legs then, after applying more gel to the brush, he lifted each foot, rested it on his thigh and brushed it over and under, making sure the toes were scrubbed nicely and softly. This was cleaning with the added bonus of smooth movements and delicate pressure applied to soft spots. As he carried on, Aaron would kiss and nibble at the inside of Jackson's thighs. Jackson was enjoying all this attention. Getting washed is nice, but getting washed like this by his sexy boyfriend was something totally different, it was quite erotic.

Putting his hands on Jackson's hipbones, he turned him so he could start brushing his ass cheeks, again doing circular motions against the soft mounds of flesh and the flat of the sides. Motioning for Jackson to spread his legs, he brought the soapy brush in that area where his legs connect with his body, where the brush would move from Jackson ballsack to his ass crack. The touch of the brush bristles on that soft flesh caused Jackson to hiss just a little, it was delicious pleasure. Not pain, just a marvelous sensation of rough rubbing. Using his free hand, Aaron soaped up in between Jackson's cheeks and casually moved his fingers inside the crack, rubbing Jackson's hole repeatedly, occasionally pushing his thumb against the entrance to Jackson's love canal. As he was doing that with one hand, he put the brush down and moved his other hand around to grab Jackson's hard cock and apply a sliding motion to it. Pausing for a moment, letting the water wash away the soap off Jackson's body, he looked at Jackson with lustful eyes and a small smile. Jackson was obviously enjoying this attention, he was clearly aroused and couldn't wait for Aaron's next move, which came quickly. Aaron turned him again so he would face him. He grabbed the brush and he brought it up slowly along Jackson's hard cock, reaching the top where the stretched foreskin becomes the back of the cockhead. It is a very sensitive area and Aaron was running the brush softly up and down, causing Jackson to arch his back and somehow push himself against Aaron's hand. The sensation was incredible, again not pain but delightful stimulation that ultimately had more of an effect on him than expected.

"Aaron, careful," Jackson said in short breaths, "I'm gonna come any moment."

Aaron looked at him straight in the eye and continued his movements. Brush still in hand, he was alternating between the sensitive area where he was now applying even more pressure and the lower part of his shaft connecting to his ballsack, while keeping a finger from his other hand inserted in his hole. The stimulation was coming from both sides of his body and Jackson was on the brink of coming.

"Argh… Aaron, I'm coming!" At that moment, his body tensed up and he started spurting his load. Aaron quickly dropped the brush to grab Jackson's cock and bring it to his mouth to help finish him off and swallow the rest of his liquid gift. Jackson was shaking, he had never had such an orgasm. He was surprised by how excited he had gotten. His boyfriend knew how to push this new button. This was a new game that heightened their senses, their excitement, every fibre of their bodies.

Aaron swallowed most of his boyfriend's load but kept just a bit on his tongue. After removing his finger from its hiding place, Aaron got up and crashed his lips against Jackson's, their tongues caressing and savouring the small amount of sperm that Aaron had kept on his tongue. Their breathing was short, they were utterly excited and the heat of the shower just added to the heat they felt inside their bodies. Jackson pulled away slowly, looking into Aaron's eyes and smiling.

"You're just amazing, Aaron, this was fun, erotic and incredible. Oh, and a little kinky. Where did you learn that?"

"You mean, worship your body? I don't know, I just love you so much, it just comes naturally. Did I improvise? Maybe, but with a body like yours, it's not hard to do," he said, laughing a little. He enjoyed this very intimate moment tremendously, this was indeed sexy and erotic. Aaron could do erotic when he wanted. Jackson just didn't know about it!

Jackson put his hands against Aaron's chest and pushed him slowly against the wall. He grabbed the shower gel and dropped some on Aaron's chest. Using both his hands, he moved them in circular motions over Aaron's chest, shoulders, caressing his neck and running his thumbs along both sides of his jaw. He brought his hands down along Aaron's arms, lathering them up as he did so. He turned him around and did the same to his back, letting his fingertips and his short nails run roughly against Aaron's muscular back, then trailing a finger along the length of his backbone. Aaron let out a growl of pleasure. Using more shower gel, he brought his hands down and started massaging Aaron's buttocks and running his hands inside the crack, teasing his hole in the process. Aaron was also getting aroused and Jackson noticed it. With one hand, he reached for Aaron's cock and grabbed it tightly, moving his hand up and down, and with the other hand, he took hold of Aaron ballsack and gently massaged his balls, applying just enough pressure to cause Aaron to stiffen but to also let out a moan that told Jackson all he wanted to know. His boyfriend was getting off on this little pain.

After a moment of masturbating him, he moved his hand from Aaron's ballsack to his hole and inserted one then two fingers inside Aaron. He knew how much he enjoyed that and he always liked to oblige. Bending a bit, Jackson brought his mouth to take Aaron's cock. He let it slide slowly in up to the hilt, the head was forcing its way to the back of his throat. He slowly lifted his head back then started a faster movement which quickly brought Aaron to the verge of shooting. He had two fingers in Aaron's love canal, his mouth and tongue were causing a delightful friction on Aaron's cock and his other hand returned to Aaron's balls to squeeze them gently and massage them, pulling on them as needed to increase the sensation that Aaron was feeling inside Jackson's mouth.

"I'm going to come, Jackson, it's… Jesus that's amazing, Jackson… argh!" He shot his load down Jackson throat and it felt amazing. The heat of Jackson's mouth and the skillful movement of his tongue heightened his climax. This was incredible. They loved each other's body so much, they knew what made the other tick, and they knew how to please each other. After coming down from this powerful high Jackson had created, they kissed again, this time exchanging a taste of Aaron's cum that they swapped on their tongues. Their kiss was long, passionate and messy. They were still excited and their bodies were still in gear. But slowly, they started relaxing and breathing a little more normally. They held each other for a moment, letting the water wash away the remnants of their lovemaking.

"So, what about that supper at the Woolie?" Jackson asked, grinning like an silly fool. "I think we've built up an appetite."

"Yeah, I'm starving," Aaron replied, still holding Jackson in his arms. "Let's wash up and get dressed."

"Well, I would have been ready a half hour ago if you hadn't come in here and…" Aaron's lips interrupted him. They were hot, soft and they made Jackson want more of him.

"Yeah, I bet you would've!"

TBC


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

As they entered the Woolpack, the place was already busy with people having drinks and sitting at tables having supper. Aaron noticed Cain walking towards the bar with his empty pint glass.

"Evening, gents!" Cain said as he saw the boys walk in.

"Hey, Cain, what's up?" Aaron responded casually as he and Jackson walked up to the bar.

"Moira, pint please," Cain said as he put his glass on the counter and he added, "and Aaron's paying."

"Why am I paying?" He was surprised. "You rake in big money, you should be paying for my pint!"

"Oh should I? Well," he said, leaning in closer to Aaron, "as I recall, you owe me one for services rendered." He looked at him then down towards his knee, his eyebrows raised, his usual smirk on his face.

"Got it." Aaron smiled, a little redness creeping on his face. "Moira, two pints, please, and I'll take care of Cain's, too. Oh, and can we have a couple of menus, please?"

"Coming up, boys. Go sit and I'll bring everything over," Moira replied looking between Aaron's pink face and Cain's smirk.

"Did I miss something?" Jackson asked, a bit lost after watching this ambiguous conversation.

"It's nothing," Aaron said, "come on, let's grab a table." He wanted to walk away from there as quickly as possible so that he wouldn't have to explain himself. He figured he might have to at some point, but now was not really the time.

They sat at a table in a quiet corner, away from the prying eyes of the regulars. Shortly after, Moira brought the pints and the menus. Jackson thanked her and inquired about tonight's special. Some kind of pork roast with grilled vegetables and chips. Sounded good, two specials were quickly ordered.

"So, what was that _nothing_ you were talking about?" Jackson asked, looking straight into Aaron's eye. Aaron was slightly uncomfortable, they had talked about the scar when they were on Tancook Island and as far as he was concerned, the subject was behind him, especially after what Jackson had told him last weekend in Beaumaris when he saw him wondering about which shorts to wear. For Aaron, the subject was closed. He didn't want to reopen it and have to tell Jackson about the conversation with Cain, because at that time, Aaron had been an idiot for even thinking Jackson wouldn't like him as much because of the scar and the occasional limp.

He still wasn't sure about telling Jackson, but after hesitating for a minute or two, enough time to take a few satisfying swigs from his lager, he decided to be the adult he should be and tell him. Maybe not everything, but enough to satisfy his boyfriend's curiosity. That way, he wouldn't be lying, he would just not be saying everything.

"It's to do with the scar on my knee. I was a bit down one day, not long after physio and all, and Cain asked what was the matter with me. I told him exactly what I told you when we were on Tancook Island. He talked to me and helped me sort myself out. And he charged me a pint for his counselling services!"

"Cain? He gave you that kind of advice? You serious?" Jackson couldn't hide his surprise.

"Yeah, he did, and you shouldn't sound so surprised, he thinks the world of you."

"I see, and that's it?" Jackson asked. "Then why was he so hush-hush when he spoke at the bar?"

"Well, at the time, I felt like a real idiot and I asked him not to tell anyone about our conversation, especially you."

Jackson was eyeing him, wondering what to say. At the end, he wasn't going to say much, but he was going to tease his boyfriend a bit, the opportunity was too good to miss. "Aaron, we've talked about this and you know how I feel about you, your ugly mug, your big scar, warts and all…"

"Jackson!" Aaron interrupted, shocked, but pretty sure he was just winding him up. "This was a serious worry of mine at the time." He was doing a half-ass job at feigning being hurt.

"I know, I'm just winding you up." He became more serious, "I understand what you're saying and it's fine. I'm glad you were able to talk to Cain. After all, he's your uncle and you guys work together every day, you're in business together. You don't need to worry anymore about it, you know that, right?"

"Yeah, I know. Thanks for being so understanding with me. But… erm… seriously, I don't have warts, do I?" Aaron was genuinely worried now and the look on his face was priceless.

Jackson burst out laughing, spitting some of the beer he had in his mouth. "None that you can see, sweetheart!"

"Oi, you! You're such a wind-up merchant!"

"Only with you, because I love you so much." Jackson smiled.

* * *

They enjoyed supper and they were now enjoying their second lager. Aaron was thinking about the conversation he, Jackson, Brian and Mark had on the way back from Beaumaris about Mark and Brian's volunteer work with the shelter. There was something that triggered his interest in what they were doing. He didn't know what just yet, but he thought it was a great thing to do and that maybe someone in those classrooms benefited from hearing their story. That's something that should make them feel good.

"A penny for them," Jackson said as he looked at Aaron lost in thoughts.

Aaron looked up, "I was thinking about what we talked about in the car on the way back Sunday, you know, the stuff that Brian and Mark do in schools."

"Are you really? Are you interested by that?"

"Are you?" Aaron came back quickly.

"I asked you first," Jackson said with his eyes bright and a smile on his face. He knew he had cornered Aaron and he would have to admit that he might want to do something like that.

"Well, yeah, I guess. I don't know. It's a big thing to go talk about that and I'm not sure if I'm ready but, at the same time, I'm thinking there's probably a whole bunch of kids like me, who feel the same way I felt and can't get their heads around being gay, let alone come out to their parents or their mates."

"I think it's fantastic that you're thinking about it, I'm impressed. Again, Aaron, you surprise me."

"Shut up!" Aaron replied, a small smile on his lips.

"No, I'm serious. I never thought you'd feel up to doing that kind of work, but I'm really pleased that you're thinking about it. I would go up with you, we could do it together."

"Well, that's good then, 'cause there's no way I'd stand there on my own in front of a classroom full of teenagers looking at me," he said with a chuckle.

"You wouldn't be alone, the teacher would be there and the person from the shelter. But anyway, we should check with Brian and Mark and see how we can get the ball rolling. Or do you want to think about it a bit more?"

Even if Aaron had been thinking about this a lot since Sunday, he still wasn't sure. But at the end of it, he figured they could contact their friends and let them know they were interested. The rest would then be sorted if they decided to go ahead.

"Let's do it! Let's call them and see what happens."

Jackson was impressed and the smile he gave him said so. He never thought Aaron would make such a bold move but he was definitely going to be there with him and support him. Well, since they were both going to be there, Aaron will obviously support him, too. Jackson might be more outgoing and more confident, but he had never done this, so he, too, would be nervous in front of the classroom full of teens who would have eyes only for them. Oh, and questions! God, what kind of questions would they have?

* * *

The following Friday, they decided to head to Bar West for a night out. They hadn't been there for quite a while and thought it a great idea. They called Brian and Mark to see if they were interested, and the four of them agreed to meet there around 8:30 for drinks and pool.

The place was buzzing with the weekend crowd, young and old, the cruisers, the lookers, the wallflowers, and those who didn't really fit into any category because they just hopped from one bar to the next without giving the regulars enough time to categorize them.

Aaron and Jackson arrived first and found a spot actually not too far from the pool table. It was perfect, they would be able to keep an eye on it so they could put their money down and get their turn at playing. There were already a few quid lined up.

They had ordered their drinks and were keeping an eye on the entrance to see when their friends would arrive. Mark and Brian entered around 8:45 and Jackson spotted them. After settling down, Jackson asked them what they wanted, "My treat," he said. Brian went for a lager, as expected, and Mark went for a glass of red wine after noticing that Jackson had chosen that. "And not the cheap stuff either," he said to Jackson, a smile on his face.

"Only the best for you, my friend," Jackson replied with a wink.

He walked away to get the drink. In the meantime, Aaron, Brian and Mark started chatting about their week, checking out the guys who were playing at the pool table and generally being silly. They were tired after a long week of work.

Jackson came back with the drinks and they settled comfortably, enjoying each other's company. The four friends always had a good time when they went out and tonight was no exception. Mark was checking the pool table to see when their turn would come up. As he looked over, two young men were starting a game, two really good looking young men. He didn't remember seeing them here before. One looked slightly familiar, but he didn't know why.

"Jackson, look at these two guys," Mark said, tilting his head in the direction of the pool table. "Aside from both being quite cute, one of them looks a bit familiar, the blondish one. Have you seen him before?"

"I have, actually." Turning quickly to Aaron, he tapped on his arm, "Look who's playing pool." Aaron looked up and a big smile broke on his face. After explaining to Mark and Brian who the lad was, Aaron slipped off his seat and walked behind Ray, leaning close to him while he was preparing to take a shot, "There's no way you can make that shot without cheating," he said, startling the young man who actually missed his shot.

"Crap!" he exclaimed. "Aaron, you made me miss this great shot, I could have pocketed two balls," he said trying to make it sound like this was the shot of his life.

"Yeah, as if!" Aaron retorted, teasing. "Ray, good to see you again, and here, and… with someone?" he asked with a smile and glancing quickly at the other young man with him.

"Yes, with someone." Turning to his new boyfriend, he motioned to him to come over, he wanted him to meet Aaron. "Scott, I want you to meet a great guy and great friend, Aaron Livesy. Aaron, this is my boyfriend, Scott Campbell."

"Really nice to meet you, Scott." Aaron said as he shook his hand. "Look, I don't want to hold you up. Finish your game and then come over to our table and you'll meet our friends. We'll have a drink together, please?"

Looking at Scott for confirmation, he nodded his head. "We'd like that. Thanks."

Scott Campbell was eighteen years old. Having repeated a year, he was now in his last year of Sixth Form. He wanted to go to college so he was working hard. He was raised in a strict religious environment, his parents were practising catholics. He had been struggling with his sexuality for a few years now, and actually plucking up the courage to walk into Bar West several months ago was an enormous accomplishment for him. He didn't share his parents' religious fervour, not because religion wasn't good or valid, but because he couldn't understand this message of love and compassion that the Church was sending, yet it couldn't accept gay people for who they were. In his mind, it didn't make sense. If God was love and compassion and He created him in his image, then him being gay was not a sin nor an abomination, or whatever fancy words they were using to put him down.

His relationship with his parents was alright but there was a lot of stuff he didn't tell them. He knew for a fact that they would likely reject him if he came out to them. So, over the years, he learned a lot about himself, about being gay; somehow, he managed to accept who he was and see the good in himself. He might not be religious the way his parents were but he had a spiritual side, he was able to see the good in people and, more importantly, he was able to see the good in himself, in his person. He was gay and that was it. He didn't feel bad about it, it just was. He certainly wasn't ashamed of it. So the only choice he had was to accept himself and move on, make a life for himself and be happy. Nobody else was going to do it for him, certainly not his parents.

He came to Hotten on an assignment for school a few months ago and thought he should stay the weekend. That's when he decided he needed to make that step. He took a deep breath and walked into Bar West. Once the initial shock of realising it was a pub like most other pubs, he felt more relaxed and actually chuckled to himself, because he had been so nervous before coming in. Maybe it was all the reading he had done, the magazines he had seen, but when he came in and saw men and women together, kissing, holding hands and just being themselves, it didn't faze him, he was comfortable. This was his world. He wanted it. He came to the pub a few times but it was only on his third visit that he met Ray.

Both of them hit it off quickly, their personalities were similar. They both hated violence, both were a little romantic and they both enjoyed each other's company a lot. They seemed to have found in each other a companion, a true friend, but above all, a lover, that someone to take the relationship to the next level, when they would be ready.

Scott had been horrified upon hearing what happened to Ray. He felt really sad. He knew that bad things happened to good people, but who the heck would want to hurt Ray Branswell? You had to be out of your mind. He didn't know what to say, but all he wanted to do was take Ray in his arms and hold him tightly to tell him nothing that bad was going to happen to him again. Well, he knew that was impossible to promise, but at least he could give him the comfort of a tight, loving hug, the reassurance of his presence, of his support.

Scott was well-built. He was into a bit of sport, soccer mostly, and did some jogging to keep himself in shape. He had a nicely defined body.

Ray wasn't a sports person but he certainly could appreciate how fit Scott was. He had had the opportunity already to run his hands along Scott's strong arms and to feel the lines of his pectorals. Ray was an artist, after all, and he could very well "see" what was under the shirt. One day, he would have the pleasure of drawing that beautiful body.

Scott was very happy to have met Ray and he felt that he was probably the person he would want to spend a lot of time with. His lover forever? He didn't know yet, but he like Ray a lot and was willing to make sure they would find out if they were made for each other.

They finished their game and went over to join Aaron, Jackson and their friends. They had a great evening together and got to know each other a little more. Scott certainly appreciated the opportunity to meet new people and maybe make new friends. He had heard about what Aaron had done for Ray, so he was pleased to meet him and to meet his very good looking boyfriend.

TBC


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Aaron was actually the one to bring up the subject of volunteering when they had met Brian and Mark at Bar West. They talked about it, Aaron had asked a lot of questions, he was being very curious but cautious. Some of his old walls were slowly rising and he wanted to make sure it was right for him.

Jackson was listening to it all, feeling fairly comfortable about their commitment, but still being cautious, too. He told them they would take it one step at a time, go to one school and see how things went. He might be an out and proud young gay man but still, he was no fool. He knew there were certain risks in doing that kind of stuff. There is always an idiot somewhere to find out about you or where you live, or someone to get a group of friends riled up about the queers who came to the school.

After contacting the organization, they decided to give it a go. Three weeks later, they were on their way to a school about an hour away from Hotten, a place called Pinedale. The social worker who accompanied them was a no-non-sense, middle-aged woman with sparkling eyes and she knew more ways to make you talk than you could imagine. Laura was her name. She should work as an interrogator for the police. She wouldn't need torture; all she'd have to do is look at you with her deep hazel eyes and you would likely blurt out all the information she needed. She had a way of asking a question that made you give the answer and then plenty more.

She had chatted with Aaron and Jackson on the way over and Aaron was surprised at all he was telling her. He carefully and purposely stayed away from the shady drug dealing but most everything else had been discussed or laid out in front of her. She knew what she was doing and she knew Aaron, in particular, was a little reticent. She assured him that everything would remain confidential. She was just trying to make them comfortable about talking, but cautioned them to answer questions with as much or as little information as they wanted. They were there to help, to provide a glimpse into being gay and young based on their own experience, nothing else. They were not there to open up their life for the scrutiny of the students. They could if they wanted to, it was up to them, but that was not the purpose of the session.

They were in a social sciences class, the group was small, maybe twelve or fifteen students. To make the atmosphere a little warmer, the desks had been arranged in a semi-circle of sort. Aaron and Jackson were sitting in the back of the class and Laura was in the front discussing with the teacher. They were about to start. The teacher would introduce the topic and then Laura would continue from there by giving a bit of background on the organization and what they did. She was about to introduce Aaron and Jackson…

"I thought we were going to meet a couple of queers," Billy Simpson said. Some of the students chuckled. Actually, Billy had seen the boys in the back but didn't clue in to the fact they were the guests. By the looks of them, the students assumed they were trainee teachers sitting in on the class. Dressed in their dark jeans, leather coats, and sporting their usual ordinary guys look, they didn't appear queer the way Billy was expecting. Laura took the opportunity to point out that calling people like that was wrong and hurtful and that we should avoid doing that.

"Now that you mention it, let me take this opportunity to introduce today's guests, Aaron and Jackson." The young men made their way to their seats in the front and exchanged some looks with Billy who was now feeling a little sheepish. He didn't expect these guys to be gay.

After sitting, Aaron and Jackson surveyed the group and were startled to recognize a face among the students. Scott, Ray's new boyfriend, was in that class. He was clearly uncomfortable, and both picked up on that. They simply nodded their heads, as they did when looking at the other students, kept their smiles to a minimum not to raise suspicions, and acted as if they didn't know him. Both noticed that Scott's left hand was in a cast. 'Must have hurt himself since we saw him a few weeks ago,' Aaron thought without saying anything to Jackson.

The discussion started with Laura who asked some of the students if they knew gay people, if they had friends who were gay or lesbians. Responses were, well, nil! "What a quiet group you are," she commented with a smile.

"That's fine, because your silence will help me bring up the main topic of our visit. Coming out. You probably know very few or no gay and lesbian friends simply because they haven't come out, they haven't told anybody they were gay. You might suspect someone to be but that's not for sure. Why do you think people don't come out?" she asked the group.

One young lady raised her hand, "Because society is still hung up about homosexuality. It has always existed, but we still have a problem with it."

"That's correct, we still have a problem with it. It is all around us, there are plenty of gays and lesbians around us, it's just that because society is still having a problem accepting these people, they in turn haven't felt comfortable enough to be themselves. It shouldn't be like that. Yes, there are plenty of public figures, older people who are out and don't worry about what others will say, but among young people like you, it's difficult. It's also a tough time in terms of growing up, coming to terms with life, moving from being a teenager to being a young adult."

The students were listening to Laura, nodding their heads in agreement. One young man added, "And there's the issue of bullying. We all know people who have been bullied for all kinds of reasons. Some of the people who are bullied feel really bad and might consider… drastic measures, like suicide."

Andy Lister had been bullied a few years back and his situation improved only because some of his tormentors had moved away. Very few victims are that lucky. Free of this weight that had slowed his life down to a crawl, Andy finally regained his pleasant personality, his sense of self-esteem, and he was free again. The taunts, the shoving, the hurtful words that were hurled at him had crippled him to the point of considering ending his life, but things slowly turned around and he was here today to say he was glad he didn't go ahead with his plan. He was glad he persisted in thinking that thing would get better.

There was a sudden show of support from his classmates. Applause erupted. Most didn't know this side of Andy's life and made a point of thanking him for having the courage to share it with them.

He added, "It's not because they said I was gay that I felt bad, it's because they were demeaning me in so many ways. I am proud of who I am as a person, and I happen to be gay. I don't broadcast it, but I don't hide it either. It's who I am and there's nothing I can change or want to change. But after a while, after months and months of this mental torture, it started to affect me." As he spoke, his hands were shaking a bit; he lowered his head for a brief moment, the images were coming back, the scared feelings, the tension, the worries. Taking a deep breath, he continued, "I was lucky things turned around at some point, otherwise I'm not sure I'd be here to talk about it today."

Laura smiled at this incredible admission. "Thank you, Andy, for trusting everyone here with this secret that you kept." Addressing the group, she added, "Well, we know one more person who is gay, and maybe others will feel a bit more comfortable to come out knowing a schoolmate had taken the step. And it's not just about schoolmates, it's about everyone in your life in general."

Turning to Aaron and Jackson, she continued, "Perhaps we can ask one of our guests today to share his story, to tell us how things went when he came out to his parents and to his friends. Jackson, what about you?"

Jackson sat up, brought his hands together in front of him and looked at the group. "Thanks, Andy, for being so honest about your situation. At your age, I'm not sure I would have had the guts to say that in front of people. I know you all know each other, you've been classmates for a while, but when you say the words out loud, it's different. Things change for real. Trust me.

"My story is not really special, I guess. I've always known I was gay, it had been with me since my early teenage years. I never really felt bad about it, it was just who I was, but I guess I wasn't sharing that with anyone. I pretended to be straight for a bit, even going out with some girls, but it never went far. I didn't feel right doing that. Then when I got older, I figured it was time to tell my parents and some of my close friends. Even if I trusted these people, it was still unnerving. I told two of my best mates who basically told me they didn't care, they just wanted me to be happy. It was strange. I was so nervous about telling them, then they just took the wind out of my sail, so to speak. In a good way, of course! They had figured it out about a year before I told them but they respected me and gave me the time I needed to come to terms with it and know I was ready to open up to them. Then I figured I should tell my parents."

At that moment, Aaron turned his head towards Jackson and looked at him in the hope of offering support. He knew that what was coming up was still hurting him, even after all these years.

"So, one night, knowing my parents were in the living room watching TV, I came downstairs with the intention of telling them. I prepared myself for their reaction, but I never expected it to be so different. My mum was fine, she was so relieved I finally felt sure enough to tell them, like most mothers, she suspected for a long time," he said with a chuckle. "But I never expected my dad to react the way he did."

"What do you mean?" one of the students immediately asked.

"He got up, moved close to me and backhanded me with such force, I ended up on my arse after hitting the side of the couch."

A gasp could be heard among the group. Even Billy Simpson frowned, not liking what he had heard. But one thing that both Aaron and Jackson noticed was how Scott moved to hide his hand under his desk. They exchanged a quick look and only briefly looked at Scott, concern easily seen on their faces. He lowered his head just slightly. They suspected then that something had happened at home but they were not going to press here.

"Not what I wanted, but after he said that no son of his was going to be a puff, I got up and walked back up to my room. I thought about it a bit and decided that I would be moving out. I needed to start living my own life and it wasn't going to be with a violent father in the house. I talked about it with my mum and she told me that he was the one who was going. She had wanted separation from him for a while, but what he did that day was what she needed to ask for a divorce.

"The rest of it is just ordinary life. I went to trade college, started working as a builder and soon was able to start my own business. It's a job a love. I went out to gay bars, met a few people, then I met Aaron. But that's a whole different story," he said with a chuckle. Aaron blushed a bit at that remark. He was OK now with their past, but still. He didn't like the fact that he had hit Jackson.

Laura thanked Jackson for his story. "As you can see, even your own parents can be unpredictable. And your friends. I have heard many teens tell me that their friends turned their back on them when they told them who they really were. It is devastating, especially at a time when you need all the support you can hope for, when you need to know you're not alone in this world. But you also have friends like Jackson's, who told him they didn't care and all they wanted was for him to be happy, to finally be himself with them. That is also disarming, but in a positive way."

Billy Simpson could be a right idiot when he wanted, he had proved it earlier before the session started. But he could also be sensible when he put his mind to it. His heart was in the right place. He wasn't a bad guy, really, he just hung around the wrong people sometimes. After clearing his throat a bit, he lifted his head to look at Jackson, "I'm sorry to hear about you and your dad. What he did was just wrong."

"Thanks," Jackson replied with a small smile on his lips and a nod of his head.

Jackson could still remember that fateful night when he spoke to his parents. Years later, with the distance, he knew it was the right thing to do, he needed to get on with his life and look for a partner. His dad's reaction had saddened him but there was nothing he could do about it. Still, it left him with a shock in his heart. He never expected one of his parents to actually hit him for that reason. Even today, he still had trouble understanding why. He could imagine being ignored, kicked out of the house, but physically hurt by him? What the heck would that accomplish? Absolutely nothing. A father is not going to beat the gay out of his gay son. That's absurd.

TBC


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Laura continued with a thought she had while listening to Jackson.

"I'll come back on some words Jackson used earlier, he said "the rest is just ordinary life". We seem to forget that. Aside from the fact that some people are attracted to folks of the same sex, which in itself is nothing unusual, we know that now, the life they lead is just that, ordinary life. I'll bet that Aaron and Jackson have developed a pretty boring routine of work and home life and activities with their friends and family, the same way everybody has. Am I right?"

"It's a routine, yes, but it's not boring yet," Aaron said with a laugh. Everyone laughed and it served to release some of the tension that had crept in the group following Jackson's story.

"Good point, Aaron, it's not boring yet," followed Laura. "And it shouldn't be, you're too young for that, but you've been boyfriends for a few years now, correct?"

"Five years," Jackson confirmed.

"And my point here with the routine was to stress that gay couple have a lot of the same ordinary life and obligations as straight couples do––work, home, bills, groceries, home repairs, car payments, family concerns. If we can just learn to go beyond the fact that they're same sex couples, then there is nothing to prevent us from readily accepting these people. They are just like everyone else."

Scott, who had remained quiet, ventured a question, "Have you patched things up with your father since that evening?"

Jackson studied him for a bit before answering. " No, we haven't. No matter what, I'll always be gay, and so far he hasn't told me that he's changed his opinion of me. Besides, I can live with the fact he doesn't like me being gay, nothing either of us can do about it, but I'm not sure I can forgive him for hitting me. He crossed a line at that moment. You do not hurt those you love. If that's his kind of love, I don't want it."

Scott listened to him intently. This was something he wanted to hear. What happened at home was fitting the criteria. His father had crossed a line and Scott was ready to deal with a decision that had been on the back of his mind for a few days now.

Laura provided a transition in the session. She stressed the importance of sticking by your friends, of offering them the support they needed. One point she wanted to drive home was that people didn't choose to be gay or lesbian. These people were just the way they were. The only choice they made was to accept themselves and to make a rewarding life for themselves, just like everyone else. Accepting yourself shouldn't be a big issue, but it was for some because they were more susceptible to the negative messages sent by some parts of society, like the Church, some extremist groups, ignorant people, conservative religious groups. Scott looked up when she mentioned the conservative religious groups. His father was definitely conservative and he had found out the hard way. He had never suspected it, though.

"Aaron, what about you, how was your coming out? Did you have difficulty or was it an easy experience?"

Aaron listened to Laura, he knew about the set up to get the session moving. He looked at her carefully, then looked at the group. He chuckle a bit. "Nothing about my coming out was easy. And I'm not saying that to attract your pity, it's not that, it was just a hard time to go through."

"How did you figure yourself out?" asked one student. "Did you parents kick you out when you came out?"

"My parents had already split many years before I came out, so I was living with my surrogate father, a man who spent some time with my mother but ended up alone after she left him. I decided to stay with him because he was the closest thing one could get to a real father for someone in my situation. Well, first, he loved me, and I couldn't understand why at the time. I was horrible to him, always kicking off, and then he was so patient with me, he was good, the way a father should be, and he had a calming effect on me."

"Why do you say that, a calming effect on you?" Laura added.

"I had two girlfriends and that worked out OK. But in my heart, I knew there was something different, something wrong I thought. I knew what it was, really, and that's why I thought it was wrong. Today, I can say there's nothing wrong about being gay, but at the time, all the messages I was getting were telling me to stay away from that."

Billy was curious, "What did you do, then?"

"I had been acting more agitated than usual. All I'll say is that my surrogate father helped me come to terms with it, he helped me say it, say the words. It wasn't easy, and even after that, I still didn't want anything to do with that. I thought I was going to be able to not be gay, to just control myself." He chuckled, "As if. We all know that's not how it works. He stood by me and helped me come to terms with it, not an easy task. Jackson can confirm that," he said while looking at Jackson with a smile.

He talked about the night at Bar West when he left his phone behind, Jackson bringing it back, him freaking out about that, then the pub episode and how he was not proud of that. When he came to his suicide attempt, he paused, collecting his thoughts.

Laura knew what was coming up, so she asked, "Aaron, you OK? Do you want to skip some parts of what you wanted to say?"

"No, I'll be fine. I think it's important I say these things. Besides, it's not as if it's a secret, it's been in the papers." He readied himself, "I tried to kill myself. My head was such a mess of thoughts, fears, insecurities, it was not pretty. I figured I still didn't want to be alive. But the court appearance was coming up, so I had to face that. And that's when things became clearer. I wondered then if I should keep this a secret or if I should just admit it, get a lesser sentence and get on with my life. We all can imagine what a prison sentence can do to someone."

"What made you change your mind?"

"I kept hearing the other lawyer talking about this homophobic attack, and all I could think of was that it was not that. How could I be homophobic when I was gay myself? Plus, in my mind, if it had been a homophobic attack, it meant that I hated the person I hit, and that was definitely not the case." He smiled at Jackson sheepishly.

"I ended up with a Community Payback sentence, 150 hours. Honestly, I thought that was as hard as sitting in a cell and having to deal with prison life. Well, I don't know that, of course, but it wasn't a picnic. I learned a lot during that time, my biggest lesson being to learn to control my emotions and my anger. Over time, I managed to assume the fact I was gay, then eventually, Jackson and I got back together and there we are today."

"So, after you hit him, his pressed charges, you got sentenced and you still got back together? You too were made for each other or else, you were crazy!" one student offered.

"More like crazy about each other," Jackson said with a chuckle.

"All of that to say my coming out was hard, yes, but at the end of it, I managed to come out of it a winner. I won't lie to you. This was a mix of stubbornness on my part and incredible patience and understanding on the part of Jackson. Without him, I certainly wouldn't be here today talking to you."

"So you two are hopelessly in love?" another student asked.

"In a way, I guess. Like Laura said earlier, we are like everybody else, so that means that sometimes I piss him off or he pisses me off… oops, sorry, I shouldn't say that in a classroom, I suppose," Aaron said apologetically. The teacher smiled.

Billy picked up on that, "Don't worry, you make us feel not so bad now," he replied with a small laugh.

Laura came in to sum things up, but Aaron interrupted her politely.

"I'd like to say one last thing, if I can. You've heard my story, you've heard Jackson's, but in the end, no matter how tough it seems, don't be afraid to reach out for help, which is something I didn't do, because I was too stubborn, too frightened. But, in the end, it gets better. I know it's a cliché and you've heard it before, but it's true, in most cases, it gets a lot better. And you owe it to yourself to make it better, because it's your life. If you don't do it, no one else will do it for you."

Scott had heard this message loud and clear. He knew what he needed to do. He also knew it wouldn't be easy, and it wouldn't happen overnight. But he was determined. Life couldn't go on like that.

Laura got up to address the group, take additional questions and close the session.

Everyone came to meet Aaron and Jackson afterwards and to thank them for what they did. They appreciated their honesty and their commitment. They thought what they did was pretty gutsy.

Scott came up, too, to thank them. They acted like they had never met, and that was fine. Aaron and Jackson could sense Scott was still uneasy and they respected that. Coming out is one thing, being outed is something entirely different. Aaron knew that.

"What happened to your hand?" Jackson asked casually.

"Oh, nothing, just a bad fall," Scott replied, lowering his eyes again, discomfort filling his body.

Jackson left it at that. He knew something was not right, but the classroom was not the place for this. "Well, I hope you feel better soon," he said to him, looking him straight in the eyes.

* * *

Back in the car, the guys were quiet. Scott was on their mind. Laura had congratulated them on how they has spoken to the group, they had provided amazing and touching testimony of their experience and she was telling them how eloquent they were. She could see the reaction from the students as they were speaking, their eyes didn't lie, she said, and she was certain they had made a strong impression on them all. Even on Billy Lister. They laughed at the mention of his name.

"There is something bothering you though, isn't there? You've been quiet. And I noticed how you tried to avoid speaking too much with this guy there, Scott?"

Again, they were shocked at how perceptive she was. They were sure they had been discreet when they met Scott. Jackson looked at Aaron for his agreement and decided to speak, "We can talk to you in confidence, right?" Jackson said.

"Of course you can, you don't even have to ask. What is it?"

"We know Scott, he's the boyfriend of a young man we've known for a while. They've just met a few months ago. They are getting along well, they seem to be well suited for each other, but we think Scott has not been out of the closet very long, and we're pretty sure his parents don't know about him."

"So what's the problem?" Laura asked, still unclear about their worry.

"His hand," Aaron said, "it's not a bad fall, like he said. There is more to it. When Jackson mentioned that his father had hit him, he cringed and he immediately moved his arm under his desk, as if to hide something. I could see in his eyes there was something odd, he was suddenly uncomfortable."

"Are you saying he could have been hurt at home?" Laura enquired.

"Well, we don't know, but what if he has been?" Aaron asked, worried.

"You should try to talk to him. Are you going to see him any time soon?"

"Maybe on the weekend," Jackson replied. "We'll probably go out and we might run into them, but we also have his boyfriend's phone number. Maybe we could call him first to find out if he knows anything? Would that be invading his privacy?"

"You know him better than I do, but in my opinion, if someone is involved in domestic violence, there is no better time than now to find out and help," Laura said. "You have to be subtle and gentle with your questions, but make sure you listen carefully to be able to read between the lines."

* * *

Back at Dale Head, the boys were discussing the situation. It was Wednesday night. They decided to call Ray and talk to him. Laura's words were all they could think about and it worried them. What if something else happened at home? And again, what really happened?

Jackson made the call to Ray. He told him about their visit to the school, which school it actually was and the fact they had met Scott. He pointed out they played it cool, as if they didn't know each other. Ray was grateful for that. He knew Scott was shy, still in the closet at school and with his parents, and given that his parents were very religious, he wasn't sure how it would go if they found out.

Then he asked him if he'd seen him last weekend. Ray said no. He said they'd spoken on the phone, Scott told him he had a lot of homework to do and didn't think he was going to be able to come to Hotten for the weekend. Scott had a car that he bought with money he earned with part-time jobs, so driving over was not a problem.

Jackson hesitated, but he decided to go ahead, Laura's words still in his mind.

"Did he mention to you a bad fall and the fact his broke his left hand?"

"What? No! What are you on about?" Ray asked, worried now by what he was hearing.

Jackson explained to him that they had seen him with his hand in a plaster cast, that he had said it was a bad fall. Jackson also told him how Scott reacted when he talked about his father hitting him. He said that by his reaction and the fact he was avoiding looking at them when telling them it was a bad fall, they thought there was more to that story. Based on what they noticed, he said he and Aaron were suspicious about the fall story.

"We don't think it's true. At the same time, we can't come out and ask point blank. Did you notice anything different in his voice when you spoke to him?"

"Now that you mention it, yeah, I thought he was a bit evasive, he was not as sweet as usual. We haven't had a fall out, so there would be no reason for that. But he told me before about his parents and how strictly religious they are. I wonder if he came out to them? Or if they found something? Oh, Jackson, I'm worried now."

"Look, we didn't want you to worry, but at the same time, if something is wrong, maybe he needs your help. What do you think?"

Jackson wanted to let him know, just in case. At the same time, he didn't know what else they could do to help him.

"Talk to him, try to find out if everything is alright at home, but don't mention the cast, see how it goes," Jackson said before handing his phone to Aaron who wanted to speak with him.

"Look, Ray, we're worried, we're not going to lie to you, so that's why we called you. We don't want to worry you for nothing, you know that, but at the same time, we can't let it go without telling you. If we're wrong, then fantastic. We'll keep out of it, but if either of you need help from us, you know where to reach us, yeah?"

"Thanks, Aaron, I really appreciate it. You two are really good friends, I'm so lucky," Ray said. "I'll call him tomorrow night, so that it doesn't feel too obvious after you've seen him today. I'll ask how things are at home and take it from there. I'll keep you posted."

After hanging up, Aaron handed the phone back to Jackson and sighed. "I'm worried about him. What if something happened at home?"

"We won't know until tomorrow, so no need to worry any more. Now come, time for bed, it's been a long day."

"It has," Aaron agreed, "so why don't you go up and run me a nice warm bath so I can soak my weary bones before going to bed?"

"And what did your last slave die of again?" Jackson asked with a cheeky grin?

"He hasn't died yet, he's just not working very hard!" Aaron replied with a wink. "Come, I'll help you get it ready and then I'll help getting _you_ ready," he said as he grabbed his hands and gave him his best and sexiest smile, something Jackson could never resist.

TBC


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Saturday night, Bar West is busy, noisy and thumping with the music. Aaron and Jackson arrived around 9 o'clock, they were supposed to meet up with Ray, and Scott if he was able to come.

They got their drinks and settled in a corner booth. They were keeping an eye on the door to be sure to spot their friend when he came in. Around 9:20, both Ray and Scott made their entrance and Aaron waved to catch their attention. "Good, Scott came down," Aaron said. They were hoping he'd come. Aside from liking him, they wanted to see if they could find out what really happened.

"Hey guys," Ray said as he approached the table, "good to see you again. You remember Scott?"

"Of course we do. Scott, you alright?" Jackson said as he greeted him. "I hope we didn't get you into trouble the other day. We figured you wanted to keep things quiet, so that's why we behaved the way we did. Besides, we didn't expect to see you in that classroom."

"No, you're alright. That was fine. Really appreciated how you played it." Scott turned to Ray and asked him what he wanted to drink. "Might as well get some drinks in before we settle and start talking." He walked away to the bar. As soon as he was out of earshot, Aaron asked Ray if he had been able to talk to him, to find out more about his hand.

"He's a bit cagey on that topic. He told me he had a bad fall when playing sport but I know for a fact he didn't play the night he told me it happened. I have his team schedule. He wouldn't lie to me about that, I'm pretty sure."

"Let's take it easy, we'll have our drinks, play some pool and see if we can make him talk in any way," Aaron said. Jackson looked at him with a cheeky smile, "I'm sure Scott wants a serious game, so I'll play with him; you can keep the score."

"Oi, you, don't you feel so sure of yourself!" Aaron retorted with a playful elbow in Jackson's ribs.

"I hear my name, I hope I'm not in trouble," Scott said as he came back with his and Ray's drink.

"Not yet, but you'll be after I beat you at a game of pool," Jackson said, "although now that I see your hand, I didn't think of that."

"Don't worry, it doesn't prevent me from playing. I reckon I could still whip your butt pretty good," Scott said with a smile.

Jackson smiled at him, "You're on!"

They went off to play, the table being free. It was very unusual on a Saturday night, but they jumped at the opportunity.

Sitting together, Ray and Aaron chatted about different things, but at some point, Ray mentioned something to Aaron regarding his suspicions about what happened to Scott.

"I met a friend of mine, a social worker who works at an agency that looks after people who are victim of domestic violence."

"What does that have to do with Scott?"

"Domestic violence can sometimes affect children, not only the wife or the husband in a relationship. So I told her about my suspicions and she suggested I look for signs. One she described was bruises and how they look."

"What do you mean?"

"She said if someone was slapped, for example, chances are you'll see marks that are similar to fingers, lines that will take the shapes of the spaces between the fingers. And if you look carefully, you'll notice those marks on the side of his neck. That's why he's wearing his shirt with the collar up tonight. It's not just because it's cool."

"Ray, what can we do? Obviously, he hasn't said anything to you, right?"

"No, like I said earlier, he's pretty tight-lipped about that fall."

"We have to find a way to talk to him, make him tell us what really happened. Look, are you guys going back to yours tonight or is he driving back? Not that I want to be nosey, but…"

"He's staying at mine, that's why he's drinking. He's very careful about that."

"Good, what do you think about this? Say in a couple of hours, you invite us over to your place for a last drink before we take a cab back to Emmerdale? That way, it will be a more quiet place and we might be able to stir the conversation in a way that will make him tell us what happened. What do you think?"

"That's a great idea. And we're lucky, my parents are away visiting my aunt Jean who lives is some god-forsaken small town in Scotland. They're gone for a week. So we'll have the place to ourselves. I think he'll be alright with that. I remember he spoke highly of you after meeting you here with your other friends. And he was very impressed by your stories last Wednesday. He was really shocked to see you there but he told me how you guys were cool about the whole thing and pretended you didn't know him."

"Yeah, well, we figured he wasn't out yet by the way he was behaving. Body language can speak volumes!"

* * *

Ray's place was nice. His parents had a big house but it also had a large garage. Since Ray was going to college in Hotten, they decided to finish the whole space over the garage and turn it into his own little studio. Why pay for an apartment when you can stay home and still have some privacy. It had a large living room area, a functional eat-in kitchen and a large berdroom with ensuite bathroom. Very luxurious, Ray thought, but he was enjoying it a lot! It had its own entrance, so he could come and go without bothering his parents or his brother.

"Very cozy spot you have here," Aaron complimented after they settled in the living room, each one with a can.

"Yeah, I really like it, and the neighbours are not too noisy," he said jokingly. "The worst I've had was loud 70s music one weekend when they had friends over for a small party."

"Could be worse," Jackson added.

"What do you mean? Have you heard that stuff? It's awful! And louder is not better, I can tell you that."

"Well, your tastes in music are a bit odd, my friend," Scott pointed out. "Who the heck listens to jazz at 19? Not that I mind, actually, it's quite nice, but still…"

"There is no age for good taste," Ray retorted. "Besides, I picked you in the crowd at Bar West, that should account for something, right?"

Scott blushed a little bit. He smiled at Ray, "I won't argue with that."

Scott Campbell was a fit guy, bit of a round face and beautiful curly, black hair, longer than Jackson's. His mysterious eyes were always sparkling and when he was comfortable, he would make good conversation. He could express himself very well. He had taken part in a few public speaking contests at school and won awards. After finishing high school, he wanted to go into education and work as a teaching assistant.

His family life was dominated by his very religious parents. He had two older sisters, not married yet, so he was the last kid still at home. He liked his parents but had what you'd call a fearful respect for his father. And that was the problem: he liked his parents, but he wasn't sure if his feelings would be classified as feelings of love. He certainly knew what his father thought about homosexuals. Not the type of opinion a young guy like Scott needed to become an out and proud young gay man.

Accepting himself was going to be a tough battle. Well, not so much accepting himself, because he was quite comfortable with the idea of being gay, surprisingly enough, but getting to the point where he would tell his parents. He knew they would not take it kindly, but he was ready for their objections. If need be, he was willing to move out. He'd find a way.

"How are things in school, Scott? This is your last year, right?" Jackson asked, hoping to start the conversation.

"It's going well, my grades are good and I'm hoping to start an education assistant programme afterwards. I really like that field and working with kids in a classroom setting is something I would enjoy."

"That sounds interesting," Aaron added, "and you play sports?"

"Yeah, I play footie on a school team, but I'll have to quit that if I go to college."

"The play is rough, I guess," Aaron continued, pointing at his hand.

"Well, erm… yeah, it can be sometimes. I guess I was not careful. I'm off now for a few weeks, time for my hand to heal."

There was a moment of silence during which glances were exchanged quickly. Ray decided to go ahead with the next question. "And how… how did you get the bruise on your neck? Did one of the players tackle you?" His voice was quiet, loaded with concern, barely above a whisper. He so wanted Scott to know he was concerned and to not feel threatened. Scott looked at him, unsure how to answer his question. He just knew Ray saw the pain in his eyes and he didn't know what to do. Tell them the truth, lie, or just give a vague answer in the hope they'll leave it alone?

"I… erm… yeah, we had a tumble and someone must have hit me accidentally. You know what it is, on the field, things get rough." He was avoiding everyone's eyes, he was suddenly very warm, his hands were sweaty, even the one in the cast. He could barely feel it because it was so swollen, but he knew it was sweaty. Ray took his right hand in his and held it tightly

Speaking softly, he looked him in the eyes. "Scott, the bruise you have on your neck was caused by someone slapping you pretty hard to leave the marks we see. Those are the marks of fingers. I know."

Scott was shocked by what he just heard. He knew then that Ray was aware of something. He stared at the floor for a moment, he was silent. He gripped Ray's hand tightly, but he kept his eyes on the floor.

Leaning forward, his elbows on his knees, hands joined, Aaron spoke with a reassuring tone in his voice. "Scott, Ray is worried about you, we all are, is there something we can do for you? I'm just saying that, if you need help with something, whatever it is, you've got friends here." Seeing Scott lifting his face slowly to look at him, he felt good, he knew he had reached him. Aaron smiled at him. "Did something happen that you want to talk about?"

The atmosphere was heavy, filled with worry and tension. Aaron, Jackson and Ray were hoping that Scott wouldn't clam up or get up and run away. They were all pretty sure that something happened at home, but they didn't know what or why. They also needed to give Scott the opportunity to talk about it if he was ready, if he felt able to, but they couldn't drag it out of him. In situations like this, you can't force the person to talk. Domestic violence, if this was the case, has a way of wrapping its victim in a cloak of guilt that distorts reality in ways that are hard to understand for outsiders.

Scott was faced with the reality that he had tried for ages to hide, to ignore. He liked Ray very much, he knew he had found in him a friend he could trust, and maybe a life partner. He also was realising that Aaron and Jackson were good people, they obviously cared about him. They certainly cared about Ray because Ray had filled him in on what Aaron had done. And after listening to them in class, he was even more convinced that he was indeed among friends now. But was it enough to open that wound? Was it enough to show them the ugly side of his family life? What would they think of him, then?

Only one way to find out. If he keeps quiet, he might lose Ray, he would be alone to face reality, to continue to cope with this weight on his shoulders. If he opens up, shares his pain, chances are he'll be able to find a way to be free from the fears and the threats. And what was it that Aaron said at the end of the session last Wednesday… _don't be afraid to reach out for help…_ _you owe it to yourself to make it better, because it's your life. If you don't do it, no one else will do it for you._

Scott had had enough. The time had come to ask for help.

TBC


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Scott was still holding Ray's hand, he was holding it tightly. He looked into Ray's eyes for a moment, then he looked at Jackson and at Aaron. He lowered his head slightly. "I don't think I can take it anymore, I don't think I can." His voice was shaking as if he was angry but it was more like out of a lack of energy. He was exhausted. It was as if his mind and his body couldn't go on anymore with the pretense.

"What do you mean?" Ray asked.

Scott lifted his eyes, "It's been going on for two years now, the veiled threats, the questions, the cold shoulder. I'm exhausted, I can't take it anymore. That's not what family life should be."

"Scott, what are you talking about?" Jackson said quietly. They all knew they had made progress here, he seemed on his way to offload his burden, but they were not sure yet what it was.

"My dad and his religion, his fucking obsession with religion. We have to live by the word of God, otherwise, we are doomed for eternity. They've started asking me when I was going to have a girlfriend, they've repeatedly asked me, well, more dad than mum. My dad asked what was wrong with me, why I didn't have a girlfriend. I need to meet someone nice, marry, have a family, he says. I'm only eighteen, for fuck sake. Unless… unless he's guessed and he assumes he can nip it in the bud, keep me straight by having a girlfriend."

"Yeah, well, they all want that for us until we tell them it's not going to happen," Aaron offered.

"Oh no, no, no, that's not how it works. With Gordon Campbell, things have to go a certain way. When they don't, well, it gets rough."

"Scott?" Ray said, now clearly worried.

"For a while, it was about the girlfriend, he even suggested inviting a couple of girls from church for dinner, just to see how we would get along. I immediately said no, I told them that would be too awkward and, besides, I wasn't ready for this kind of involvement. I was trying to buy time. He was quiet for a few months then he started going on about there being something wrong with me if I didn't have a girlfriend. I mean, I'm good at sport, my team likes me, I score a lot. Well, that's the problem, you see, I score on the field, not with girls."

"You might have preferred scoring with a guy from your team maybe?" Aaron said with a slight chuckle, trying to lighten the atmosphere a bit.

"Ah, funny you should say that. One day a couple of months ago, during a game, I slapped one of the guys on the butt after an awesome play, and do you know what? Dad cornered me at home afterwards accusing me of keeping my hand too long on the guy's butt. I mean, how ridiculous is that? You know me, I'm still in the closet, I would never do something like that to expose myself.

"Did he back down a bit?"

"He did, I guess, but it was just to fire himself up even more with threats. He started hinting at the fact I might be gay if I couldn't find myself a girlfriend. And if I was gay, who the hell would want me then? Certainly not him, nor my mother. And the good Lord would never want me in his kingdom. He can shove his kingdom, for all I care." Scott was becoming angry as he spoke, but it seemed there was no stopping him.

"He threatened to kick me out of the house if he ever found out I was gay. He was half-joking when he said that, but I could see it in his eyes. There was no love in those eyes, only anger, only the desire to never have to deal with such a monster, because that would be me, then, I'd be the monster. Then last week, we had a game where I actually scored three goals, the guys were so excited, Stewart Drake ran towards me at the end of the game and hugged me. He jumped into my arms, his legs around my waist, you know how it's done sometimes. He held on tight, and the other guys joined in. We had won that game, which took us to the finals. The whole team was so pumped up, we were on such a high. Well, dad noticed that Stewart had held on pretty tightly to me and that I had put my arms around him in a way that…" he let his words trail. Then he continued, "Well, Stewart is a sweet guy, I'm pretty sure he's gay, but he's also quite macho. So he was sure this was not going to be interpreted in any other way. My father would have been the only person in the two thousand who watched the game to see something wrong in the way we carried on, all he hoped was to make this gesture say whatever he wanted."

"What did you say to that?" Jackson said.

"At first, I didn't say anything. I just could find the words. I told him this was just the way we behaved on the field, it's crazy and innocent and it happens on all sports fields. Team spirit is team spirit. I suggested he should have been proud of my three goals instead of trying to read something in that hug. Must have been the tone I used…

Ray was dreading what Scott was about to say. He had a feeling it would explain his injury. He moved closer to him and put his arm around his back, holding him, offering support. "What happened?"

"He became angry, telling me I should watch the way I speak to him and be more respectful. I don't think I was disrespectful, I'm not that stupid, but what I said seemed to have riled him. He stared at me and told me that he suspected I was one of those disgusting queers and that no amount of sporting prowess was going to change that. He kept staring, and I held his gaze. Then, almost with a growl in his voice, he said: 'Tell me then, are you?' He was almost yelling. He was so close I could feel his spit hitting my face. My mum was freaking out, telling him to calm down. I didn't answer him. I stared at him, frightened and unsure of what I should do. There was no way I was going to push him back, he was too angry. My silence must have pushed him over the edge. Out of the blue, he raised his hand and tried to hit me, but I must have moved away somehow because he ended up hitting me really hard on the neck, and it threw me off balance. I fell to the floor, knocking a side table over. I guess that didn't satisfy him. At this stage, he came closer in an attempt to strike me again but I raised my arm to protect my face. He then grabbed my hand and held it tightly. He pushed my fingers backwards, I was screaming in pain, my mother was hysterical. At this point, he was towering over me and he almost spit those final words as he crushed my fingers: 'No son of mine is ever going to be one of those damned homos.' He was mad, he was totally out of control."

Scott stopped speaking for a moment, his breathing was heavy. Everyone was stunned into silence. His voice had captivated the three other men for a while and now, the horror of his words was hitting them. Ray moved to take Scott into his arms and held him tightly in an effort to reassure him. Scott put his arms slowly around Ray and held him close, he seemed numbed by the pain, but suddenly, out of the blue, he started shaking, tears were streaming down his cheeks and he sobbed loudly, almost endlessly. The pain, the stress and the confusion that he had experienced over the past several months just came crashing out. He really couldn't take it anymore. He felt safe in Ray's arms, so there was no reason why he shouldn't let it go.

Aaron and Jackson remained silent, there was nothing else they could do just at the moment. After a little while, after Scott had calmed down a bit, collected himself, Aaron asked Scott if he wanted to return home. Scott thought about it for a moment. "I don't have a choice, do I? If I don't go back, they'll wonder where I am and that will cause even more trouble for me."

"You have a choice, Scott. This is very serious, this is domestic violence. This is a police matter."

"No, don't get the police involved," Scott replied very quickly, clearly fearful.

"Well, OK, but you don't have to go back." Aaron was speaking softly but firmly. "You have a choice here and you actually have places to go until you figure out what you want to do. You have Ray and you have us. Between the three of us, we can help you, but you have to accept the help offered. It's up to you."

"Thank you, you're all so amazing." Scott shook his head, still startled by his outburst and his tears. He felt better now that he had shared his nightmare. What he told them was only a small part of it, though. Before the final blow up with his father, there had been other episodes of tensions and arguments and insistance on the girlfriend issue. He could feel the support of his parents slipping a bit. They didn't back him up so much in school, they attended his team games only on certain occasions. Life at home was not what it used to be. There was tension now. He knew he was gay, they suspected he was, and his father was not at all pleased by that prospect. Still, he hadn't even told them he was gay. The prospect of telling them almost made him sick.

"We're just being friends, well, Ray may be more, but you know what I mean," Aaron replied with a warm smile. This was a big thing for Scott and they wanted to assure him of their support.

"I can't believe this is all happening. A few years ago, all I could think about was that life was great. I had sports, my grades were good, I was enjoying life. My parents were good, I did love them. But over a period of time, dad started to change. I can't figure out why. I don't know what triggered it. Now, my world is upside down, I can barely make sense of it."

"Did something happen with your dad, did he lose his job?" Aaron asked.

"No, but maybe something changed at work, maybe he got demoted, or his responsibilities changed, I don't know. He never talked about these things. He always kept work out of the conversations, we didn't have to worry about that, he used to say."

"What about your mother? Is she someone who's assertive or is she more the type to be obedient, that kind of thing?"

"She worked for a while, she had a good job, she was actually quite independent, and that might be something that annoyed my father. He was always complaining she wasn't home to look after the place and the kids. 'A woman's place was at home,' he used to say," mocking his father's authoritative tone. "God, when you think about it, it's so old-fashioned, so unreal. That might have worked in the fifties, but not now, not anymore."

"Did you have a good relationship with your mum?" Ray asked.

"Yeah, it was good. Like all mothers, I think she knows I'm gay. I remember one day when she left my room after bringing clean clothes on my bed, she walked back in and said, very quietly, "There are things your father is better off not knowing." She touched my arm, looking at me for a second or two, then she left. I knew then that my mum knew I was gay. But now, I think she's terrified of dad. I don't think she loves him anymore, I think she fears him."

After some quiet time, Ray thought he should break the silence. "Look," he said, "there's not much else we can do right now. Why don't we have another round and we can figure out what to do next?"

"I'll help you get the drinks," Jackson quickly offered.

Once in the kitchen, Ray said, "Would you and Aaron like to stay for the night? The couch opens up and I have blankets. I think it might be safer for Scott to know we're all here, but only if that's OK with you."

"Yeah, I don't think Aaron will mind. We'll just get the bus back tomorrow. Anything we can do to help you and Scott, we're happy to do it."

"Jackson, you and Aaron have done so much already, I'll never forget what you've done for me. This, for us, is really a big deal. Scott and I have only been together about three months, but already, I like him a lot and he's a good man. I just hate to see him stuck in a situation like this."

"Don't worry, we'll help you through this, as long as Scott is OK with us in the picture. I mean, we're pretty much strangers to him, but…"

Ray interrupted him, "You're not strangers, I've told him enough about you two that he knows you as if you'd be old friends!"

"Well, in that case," Jackson said with a smile, "let's go, otherwise they'll wonder what we're up to."

/

Sunday morning, Ray had contacted his social worker friend who agreed without hesitation to see them at her office. They were there for an examination and to take pictures to be kept on file in case they were needed. Louisa was very good at her job, she put Scott at ease immediately with the soft tone of her voice and her careful manners with him. They took a few shots of his neck which was still showing the traces of fingers; by now, they were fading a bit but they were still clearly visible. They recorded the time of the events and the time of the pictures to account for the fading. Then she sat down next to Scott and put her hand on his left arm, "Do you mind if I remove the cast to look at your hand?" Scott had been fitted with a new type of fiberglass cast that looked more like a brace, but the hospital still referred to it as a cast. It could be removed but you had to know what you were doing.

He was surprised, at first he didn't know why she wanted to do that, but he had really no reason to say no. "I want to see if there are any markings on your fingers that could be used as evidence."

She proceeded carefully. Scott's fingers and hand were black and blue, swollen, but there were distinct marks that ran across his fingers, the marks left by his father when he grabbed his hand to hold it so tightly in the scuffle. The pressure used had been quite strong. They took the photos needed and then she put the cast back on. His hand was causing him quite a lot of pain so she offered some painkillers which he accepted gladly. Rehabilitation would take a while and he wouldn't get the use of his hand before several months.

Staring at his hand in the cast, he sighed and then he started crying again, out of the blue. The emotions were all coming back, the pain and the fear he had suffered with his father.

"Isn't a father someone with reason, someone who's supposed to love you no matter what?"

Louisa could only offer a simple answer, "Yes, but sometimes even a father doesn't see reason, and his own blurred vision prevents him from being who he should be for his child. I'm not trying to excuse his behaviour, not at all, I'm just trying to help you understand what might have happened."

Scott was grateful for her gentle way. Turning to Ray, "Thank you for doing this, thank you to both of you."

"Not a problem. Now," Lisa said, "what you need to remember is that these photos will be kept here and they can be used if you need them in court or with the police. I will sign the necessary forms and it will be official. You just let me know if you need them."

Scott thanked her. All he could think of was that he would be terrified to involve the police in this, but at the same time, he was unable to continue in this situation. He just couldn't accept that life should be so miserable. He was young, he had a boyfriend, a promising future and there was no way he was not going to grab the opportunities that would come along for him.

They went back to Ray's place and met up again with Jackson and Aaron. The plan was simple and they discussed it at length.

Scott was going back home, as if everything was fine. He would go about his week as usual, classes, homework, family life––well, as much as possible––and on Saturday, Ray, Jackson and Aaron would go to his house, help him pack up his things and he would leave, hopefully without any incident.

Until then, Scott would put together a file with his important stuff, identification papers, transcripts from school, anything of significance and hide it in a safe place. That way, next Saturday, all he'd have to do if things got ugly was grab that and run. With a better scenario, he'd take his clothes and some personal belongings and leave. The rest he could purchase. The important thing was to leave the house, the pain and the threats and find a stable, safe environment for a while.

All during the week, Scott kept thinking about his mother. He was worried about leaving her behind but, at the same time, he had to look after himself. He needed to finish this last year of school to be able to move to college. She was a grown up, he hadn't seen any physical evidence that his father was hurting her, so she was fine in that way. She certainly suffered on the emotional level, but he couldn't fix that. He couldn't be expected to fix that. He could barely keep himself together.

Ray had never been to Scott's place before but he knew where Scott lived. He had located the place on Google Maps, knew what the house looked like and had figured out how to get there. They would drive Aaron's car. It had room for them all and a large boot for Scott's things.

The week went by fairly quickly, but Aaron and Jackson kept thinking about what they were going to do the following Saturday. It was odd, it was almost like a kidnapping. They knew it was for the best and besides, Scott was an adult and could leave his parents' place if he wanted to. It's just that the circumstances were not ideal. Gordon Campbell could blow up, call the police or be an ass. Well, he wouldn't call the police after they told him about the pictures. He could be an ass, but that didn't matter. Aaron could revive some of his past temperament and show his ugly side. It wasn't dead, just dormant! That would likely calm Campbell down a bit.

Just for effect, Jackson contacted their friends Mark and Brian to see if they would accept to accompany them to Scott's place. They wouldn't have to do anything. They'd stay in their car but they could be backup in case things turned nasty. Strength in numbers, they say. They accepted gladly. After hearing a quick summary of the situation, they were only happy to help. They were not fighters, but if push came to shove, they could help in certain ways.

Scott was nervous all week but managed to hide it pretty well. When his mother noticed his nervousness and how fidgety he was, he blamed it on exams at school, which was actually not a lie. They were coming up and he had to study, which was perfect because that meant he had to spend time in his room, which allowed him even more time to put his things together.

TBC


	26. Chapter 26

**_Bit of a long one, but so much is happening. Enjoy! _**

**_As I'm going along, big thanks to Mererid for her help in beta reading._**

Chapter 26

Saturday morning. The four of them had agreed that Ray would text Scott when they arrived in front of his house. That way, when they showed up at the door, Scott's father wouldn't start wondering who these people were, knocking at his door, and he wouldn't have the choice of letting them in or turning them away.

Aaron parked his car in front of the house and the three of them came out at the same time carrying flattened boxes. Brian and Mark arrived shortly after and parked right behind Aaron. They came out of their car and leaned against the front fender, looking up at the door. The whole thing looked like a police operation, all very well co-ordinated.

Scott had received the text. As they were coming up the steps outside, he came down the stairs to meet them so they wouldn't be knocking at the door. His heart was pounding in his chest, he was so nervous. His parents were in the kitchen.

When the trio came in, Scott gave Jackson his bag of important stuff first. Jackson took it out to Mark who came up to take it back to his car.

As expected, Scott's parents heard some talking at the front door so they came out to see who was there. When they arrived, Scott introduced them as his friends, and said they were here to help him pack up a few things. That's when he told his parents that he was moving out.

"What? Why would you do that?" his father asked, honest surprise in his voice. This was unexpected.

Scott took a deep breath, looked at his parents and said, "I'm moving out because I can't continue to live here with you, feeling threatened and inadequate. As you suspected, I'm gay, and I know how you despise me, how you hate gays, well, in a sense, how you hate me." Not an ideal way of coming out to his parents, but it had to be said.

"We don't hate you," his father objected loudly. "We love you, we want what's best for you, we both do, your mum and me."

"Then, why have you been hounding me the past few years, talking about marriage and all? I'm still a teenager, for pete's sake!" Then looking at his father, he raised his bandaged hand and said, sadness in his voice, "Why did you get angry and hurt me? No self-respecting and loving father hits his child, breaks his hand, spews hatred at him the way you did. Why?"

Gordon Campbell was taken aback by what his son had said, he didn't know yet how to respond. He was so bothered by the fact that he suspected his son was gay that he couldn't see clearly at the time of their scuffle. He had obviously lost control, but he certainly was not going to admit that. His tone softened, he had to try and salvage the situation. His son was about to leave the family home and he didn't want to see him leave like that. If he stayed, maybe he could manage to save him, maybe he could convince him to change.

"Well, I probably got carried away a little, a brief moment of weakness. I wasn't seeing clearly. I didn't mean to come on so strongly."

"You what?" Scott was baffled. "What you did was intentional, you know it, the way you hit me first then came at me when I was on the floor. That's not getting carried away a little, that's wanting to hurt me. How you lied at the hospital when they asked why my fingers were mangled? A bad fall down the stairs? They've heard that kind of bullshit before, dad, and I know you couldn't miss the look they gave us. They didn't believe you for one moment. Somehow, they let it go."

Campbell straightened up at was he was hearing, but shame came over him. He knew he was not going to win that match. He bent his head a bit. Clearly, Scott was furious and disgusted at him. Scott's mother was standing by her husband's side, crying in silence. She just couldn't believe this was happening. She felt useless. Her family was cracking, her marriage was likely on shaky grounds.

"I got carried away. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you. This, you thinking you're homo… you know," he said, unable to get the word out of his mouth.

"Sorry? Really?"

Campbell was grasping for straws. Having these young men there as witnesses of this family breakdown was not making it easy for him. He never had that conversation with his son in private, having it in front of strangers certainly didn't please him one bit.

"Look, you're so young, you don't know for sure if you're one of them, you should take your time, you could change if you wanted," he added, hoping to be convincing. He felt cornered here. He was almost pleading.

"Change? Why change? I don't need to change, I am who I am and you know that. God made me in his image." If his dad could quote the Scriptures, why couldn't he?

"Don't you dare say that," his father said angrily.

Scott smile a bit. He knew he had hit a nerve. "Why should I accept to spend my life pretending to be someone else just to fit my parents' warped idea of what they think God wants?" His tone was assertive. He was getting angry. "You don't know what God wants any more than the guy next door."

"If you walk out of this house, you'll regret it. What about school, what about your future?" His father wasn't giving up. He was determined to keep him, to save his soul. Besides, the neighbours would be talking if they found his son had left like that. He figured they were already wondering about those two cars and the people carrying boxes.

"I prefer to be an outcast in your eyes and be happy with a man I love and who loves me than be here with you and constantly fear for myself," he said turning to Ray who was happily surprised by this revelation. This was the first time he ever said those words and moreover, they were said in front of his parents. This was a surprise for everyone.

His mother, albeit sad to see him leave and worried about him, had a small smile. She was not as convinced as her husband that Scott was damned for eternity. Personally, she had no problem with her son being gay, but she never dared voice her opinion. She knew very well how her husband would react.

"I'll figure out something about school, I'm not giving up. But at least, if I can stop being afraid, maybe I'll work better, get better results."

Gordon Campbell was furious. This ungrateful son of his was turning his back on years of care and love he and his wife provided. "This kid can't offer you anything, he can't offer you any security. Look at him! He's not much older than you are!"

"My happiness with this kid, as you call Ray, is worth far more than the elusive sense of security you think you're providing."

"So this Ray is your boyfriend then, is he?" The words were dripping with disgust.

Ray felt it and he bristled. It took a lot for him to feel like that, but this man was doing it to him. "And who are these two? You four enjoy orgies together? That's probably what you do." The devil must have been whispering in his ear now; Scott never thought his father would stoop so low.

"Good grief, dad, you should hear yourself. What a stupid comment! Actually, Aaron and Jackson saved Ray's life and that makes them pretty decent human beings in my book, contrary to what I feel for you right now. They saw him in danger when he was attacked by someone and they ran to help him. Aaron got hurt in the process but he didn't flinch. They got Ray out of harm's way and made sure he was looked after." He paused for a moment, calming himself, his breathing heavy, still staring at his father, never leaving his eyes. "Get help, dad, you need it."

Campbell became furious. "You ungrateful child," he yelled as he lunged for his son. Quickly, Aaron move in, putting his arms against Campbell's chest, holding him back.

"You don't wanna do this," Aaron hissed, "not here, not now, not with us here." His face was hard, his eyes dark with determination, his nose scrunched up, the muscle in his jawbone was twitching. In a second, Aaron could wipe him out clean with a fist that would connect with his face so fast he wouldn't know what happened. Campbell heeded the warning and backed off.

Scott collected himself. There was a lot of tension but it wouldn't go any further. Yet, there was one last thing Scott wanted to tell his father.

"Actually, dad, I am grateful for what you taught me. You taught me that religion without reason, without common sense, is just another drug. Right now, you are just another sad, pathetic drug addict."

Aaron, Jackson and Ray just couldn't control their reaction. They all thought this was one amazing comment and they all seem to wear a small smile at the same time. It just happened like that.

Campbell was fuming. "Take your things and get out!" He was stern, angry, insulted. The only reason Campbell hadn't flipped at Scott's words was because of Aaron's presence.

Those words fell on Scott like a ton of bricks, but he had expected them. Campbell took his now sobbing wife by the arm and led her back to the kitchen. She stopped briefly and turned to her son, her eyes pleading for him to reconsider his decision. Scott was not going to do that.

Jackson and Aaron pushed Scott up the stairs and told him to move it. He needed to pack his things quickly.

Ray was by the doorway and he motioned to Mark and Brian to come up. Aaron was bringing boxes down as soon as they were packed. They could take them to the car as they were handed to them. The clothes could be taken over their arms. They wanted to get this done quickly. No one wanted a real confrontation with Gordon Campbell.

Things were all packed and Scott had all he wanted and needed. For a second, he looked at a picture of the five of them, his parents, himself and his two sisters who were older than him. They both were single and living in London. He wasn't very close to them but close enough to have shared some of his worries. They texted regularly, but he hadn't told them of his plans. The picture was taken a few years ago at Christmas. It was actually a very nice shot of the five of them. By this time, Ray had walked up the stairs to his room, it was the first time he saw it. He noticed what Scott was looking at. "Take it, bring it with you, you're better off with it than wishing you had taken it."

Scott grabbed the picture and shoved it in his back pack. He took one last look at his room, his world for many years, and then walked out. No matter how attractive the room was, the reason he wanted to leave was not the room, but his abusive father. It suddenly came back to him when he heard a heated exchange down the stairs by the door. He came down quickly with Ray following closely.

Campbell was loud, he was in a mood to take them all. While he and his wife were in the kitchen, they discussed what was happening on their doorstep; she tried to reason with him, to make him see Scott's point, but he wouldn't hear it. She argued he was eighteen, old enough to make decisions, but he didn't think that, he knew this was a bad choice. He believe he could still put him on the right path, steer him away from the perverse world he was getting himself into. He was now arguing with Aaron and Jackson, his courage fuelled by anger. These young men were invading his home and he didn't like it one bit. "You think you can do this? Well I've got a surprise for you. The police will deal with you and quickly. You have no right to come in here and push us around."

"Dad, stop it!" Scott was really angry, he voice was loud. Gordon Campbell actually had never heard his son be so angry. "If you think you can call the police, I suggest you think again," he hissed through gritted teeth. "The injuries you inflicted on me have been documented by a social worker and the pictures are just waiting to be shown to a solicitor. What you've done is wrong, and you know it. Thank God for the good people around me. I was able to get this taken care of. But because of you, my world is upside down, my school year is in jeopardy and I'll have to deal with rehab once the cast is off. You know what? You're a sad person and until you realise that, I don't want to hear from you." Turning to his mum, who had been standing around, witnessing everything, looking confused and sad, but feeling kind of relieved, he said, "Mum, I'm sorry, but I have to do this. I know you understand." His words were slow, as if he realised himself how important they were. Somehow, she understood, but she couldn't say so in front of her husband. She came forward and took him in her arms to hug him. She whispered in his ear that she knew he was making the right choice.

After they parted, Scott looked at her briefly, then he looked at his dad with a blank face. Ray was by his side, his arm around his shoulder, trying to lead him gently out of the house. Jackson and Aaron were standing by the door, still inside the house. They did everything so as not to give Gordon Campbell anything to use against them.

"I'll be in a safe place, you can always reach me by phone if you need to." Gordon Campbell remained motionless, but his wife nodded her head, a single tear running down her cheek.

Scott turned around and walked out of the house. In his mind, he was finally walking away from a house of threats and fears. This was an incredible relief for him. As the distance grew between him and the house, he felt more and more relaxed, more and more liberated from the weight that had been pushing down on his shoulders, on his mind. He was starting to smile, his heart felt light.

He put his left arm, the one with the hand in a cast, around Ray's waist and walked down the steps to his car. What a message that was sending to the neighbours! Ray took the driver seat, Scott sat in the passenger and they drove away, followed by Aaron and Jackson. For a moment, Mark and Brian moved their car to block the driveway, making sure Gordon Campbell wouldn't get in his car to follow them and find out where they were going. Again, like a police operation! After five minutes or so, they drove away, leaving Gordon and his wife on their doorstep, stunned, lost, confused.

/

Back at Ray's place, the boxes had been unloaded, Scott's personal stuff was brought up into the studio. Suddenly, Scott realised he had moved in with his boyfriend. It was all done so quickly that everything felt very natural, comfortable, he almost didn't see it happening. He was still a bit uneasy about the whole morning, but he'd deal with that later. Right now, he felt so much better to be away from his parents' home, away from his father. It's a sad statement when you can say it is a good thing to be away from your father.

Standing in front of Scott, Ray ran his fingers through Scott's black curls and finished his movement by cupping his boyfriend's face, "How are you feeling?" he asked.

"I'm a little scared, but more relieved than scared. I don't know how I can thank you for what you've done."

"Don't worry, I was a bit scared myself," he said with a small smile, "but with Jackson and Aaron there, it was fine. I'm just happy it went as easily as it did. At least, he doesn't know where you are. If push comes to shove, you can always alert the police. I know you don't want to do that, but at the end of it, it's your safety against his crazy ideas. If I have to choose, I'll call the police on him."

Scott laughed. He had never seen Ray so passionate and riled up. "Thank you, I knew I was right thinking you were a decent guy. Oh, and what did you think of the way I introduced you as my boyfriend? Pretty spectacular, wasn't it?

"I'll say! I've never seen your father before, but the look on his face was something else." He stopped for a moment then looked up into Scott's eyes, "Scott, I'm really sorry I didn't know before that things were not good at home, we could have moved in together before it got ugly."

"Well, I didn't know it would get that ugly, and how would you have known? We've been together a few months only. Still, there seems to be something strong between us." He put his arms around Ray's shoulders and looked into his eyes, "I didn't know how to tell you. I didn't want to scare you off. I was hoping I'd find a way to get away from dad as soon as possible, but with school and all, it was hard, I wasn't sure who to turn to. But I'm glad you and your _gang_ got me out of there!"

"Hey, my gang is a gang of good guys. Speaking of which, let's go and see them. I'll get some drinks for everyone." They exchanged a warm kiss before parting.

When they got to the living room, Aaron, Jackson, Mark and Brian were standing up, chatting.

"Scott, you alright?" Brian asked as he saw them walk into the living room. "We've met only once but I guess we've bonded really fast!"

"Yeah, we have," Scott replied with a chuckle. "Listen, I don't know how to thank you for what you've done today, all of you. I was scared, but I'm not anymore and it's down to you. It's amazing to realise I've got friends like you around me, people I can trust. How can I ever repay you?"

"Friends don't do things for payment," Jackson said, looking at him with a warm smile. They do things like that because it's important." In typical Jackson fashion, these nice words came out with a simple shrug of his shoulders. "Now, they won't take money for payment, but they'll take a can if they can get it!"

"Jackson," Aaron exclaimed. You're a terrible guest."

"Oh, excuse me, and you weren't hoping for a can? Please, Livesy, I know you better than that." Jackson gave him a nudge.

"Listen you two, everyone," Ray said, "my parents are still away, so why don't we move out to the conservatory in the back? We'll have more room and we'll be able to sit all together. It's not summer anymore, but we can take advantage of the sun a bit."

They sat on chairs around a potted garden, admiring what was left of the flowers. A long Summer that stretched into Autumn had provided for beautiful warm days, even in late October. They shared cans that Brian and Mark had brought, thinking that they might be needed. Good planning, they called it.

A couple of hours later, unbeknownst to them, Ray's parents returned from their visit to Scotland, earlier than expected. They were supposed to come back on Sunday, but had to change their plans. Hearing voices in the back of the house, they came to see who was there.

"Well, look at the crowd here," Ray's mother said with a smile as she walked into the conservatory. "And a whole group of good-looking men, how lucky can I be?" she asked in a teasing way.

"Mother!" Ray exclaimed. "You'll never change. Well, since you and dad are here, might as well do the introductions. Mum, dad, this is Mark and Brian, they are close friends of Jackson and Aaron. I'm sure you remember them," he said as he motioned to the two other young men, and you remember Scott, of course."

"Nice to meet you all," Ray's father said. "Scott, what in the world happened to you?"

They all looked at each other, not sure how to break the news to them. After a quick private chat, Ray and Scott decided to share the essential parts of Scott's story with Ray's parents and tell them about the morning they just had. Needless to say, the Branswells were shocked and outraged. As parents, they were saddened by this.

"Look, Scott, you should know that you have a place here for as long as you need it," Ray's father said. "I haven't talked to Ray about it, but I'm pretty sure he'll agree." He smiled to his son, telling him that everything should be alright. Ray couldn't be happier.

"Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Branswell, it really means a lot. I never thought I'd end up in a situation like this, but again, I have to say I am a very fortunate lad to be able to count so many good people around me, willing to help me. It's… it's all a bit overwhelming," Scott tried to say before the emotions overcame him. Quickly, Ray was by his side. He took his boyfriend to a seat and they talked for a bit. He ran a comforting hand up and down his back. This was all quite a lot to take for Scott and the past week had been very hard. The stress was beginning to show now. But things should start improving in a few days after a couple of good nights' sleep and in the quietness and safety of his new surroundings.

TBC


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Scott's life had settled a bit, he was able to return to school and resume his normal activities, well, except for footie. He was travelling back and forth to this school from Hotten every day, which took a fair bit of time and he was hoping to find a solution to that.

One came in one day during lunch break. As usual, to save money since petrol cost him a bomb, he would bring his lunch. Even though he had a part time job, it still didn't bring a ton of money. He was sitting in the stands by the sports field eating his lunch, getting some fresh air. Stewart Drake walked towards him.

"Hey, Scott, it's been a while since I saw you at practice; you even missed the last two games. What's happening with you? I miss you." Stewart and Scott were mates although they had that unusual feeling towards each other, an attraction that they had never discussed but that they could both feel. Each was pretty sure the other was gay, especially after the church episode, but nothing was ever said.

Scott was wondering how in the world he was going to get into that conversation without saying too much. Scott suspected Stewart was gay, but he wasn't absolutely sure. Mind you, he just told him he missed him, with that tone in his voice! Even at that, how did he explain the hand cast, especially since he wasn't very good at lying? And leaving home, the reasons behind all of that?

"Things have been a little hectic lately," he said looking Stewart straight in the eye. "I… I'm not living at my parents' any more. I live in Hotten… with a friend."

Stewart was no fool. He might be the manly type, play the game like a straight guy and behave like one generally, he was still gay and he had picked up the fact that Scott was not himself the past several weeks. Something had to have happened.

He lowered his voice, making sure the conversation was between the two of them. "Are you living with your boyfriend?"

"I… erm… well, how did you know? Did somebody say something?" Scott was concerned now, not that he worried, really, but still. After what happened to him over the past several week, and what happened at home, he just couldn't care less. Still, he was wondering. One doesn't shed so easily the habit of fearing what people say.

"Scott, no one said anything, but you and I… well… we both know that we're gay, right? I don't think it's a secret between us. We've been checking each other out for many months, but I guess we haven't taken things further, for whatever reasons. And I'm sure you remember our little episode almost a year ago, behind the church in Springdale…"

"Stewart, that was just crazy stuff, we were… fooling around, we were exploring." Scott was a little thrown by that mention. He certainly remembered their meeting, he had enjoyed it tremendously and was not embarrassed by it, but he never admitted that. Well, he never had to. He liked Stewart, but not as a boyfriend. He was a very good mate, one he could relate to, but things couldn't go further. What they did was just what horny teenagers do. At least, that's what he kept telling himself.

"Maybe we were, but you have to admit that neither of us ran away out of disgust or fear or whatever."

"Yeah, I suppose," Scott admitted with a smile. He had a point. "Actually, you're right." Stewart was right and it was the least he could say to this guy who had not betrayed him and had kept this secret between them.

* * *

It was a Tuesday night, after practice. Some of the guys went for a drink, but Scott was not in a mood at the time. Stewart joined him as he was walking back home. They chatted about stuff, but Stewart seemed to have caught Scott's attention. He liked him, he was fit, he was a good player, always a gentleman, which was something Scott valued in his teammates, but he felt a strong physical attraction to him. He liked his broad shoulders, his blondish hair that he always kept short, he had clear eyes and soft features. His face was a bit stern sometimes, but his smile would always brighten it and he became irresistible when he smiled.

Stewart liked Scott simply because he was a nice guy. Well, his well-toned body was also quite attractive, yes, but he genuinely liked the guy because he was a straight shooter. Except for his attraction to men, which was the only thing that wasn't straight about him! And Stewart was no better than Scott in that department. They both hid their feelings and their mutual attraction as best as they could, but there were many glances exchanged discretely in the showers at school and over time, they became almost a habit. Each one knew the other was not a threat. It seemed they could feel it, they were both playing this game but the rules were unwritten.

"Why don't we take the shortcut through the graveyard, behind the church," Stewart suggested.

Scott looked at him from the corner of his eyes, he wasn't sure about this, but somehow, the softness in Stewart's voice convinced him. The light wind carried his friend's smell over to him. Fresh out of the showers, Stewart smelled clean, and of whatever fragrance was in the soap he used. That plus his own personal smell, and Scott was lost for a moment, a bit intoxicated. It went straight to his senses, to his head. It was getting dark and the paved path was clearly lit, but there were areas that were dark, especially closer to the church building.

They were walking along the path, in no hurry, and at one point, Stewart went off the path towards one of those dark areas, behind the church. He was walking backwards, slowly, looking at Scott, inviting him to follow. "Come with me, it's alright, we'll be alright." His voice was low, making sure they couldn't be heard. The area was pretty deserted at that time of night, so there was no reason to worry.

Scott followed him. Curiosity and desire were making him walk toward Stewart, towards the area where the building provided shelter, darkness and the privacy they needed. This is something teenagers do because their hormones are thinking for them. Exploration, experimentation. But at this age, is it really that?

As they reached the darkest spot, Stewart took Scott's hand and pulled him gently towards himself. He looked in his eyes and slowly, very slowly, cautiously, he approached his face. His lips were very close to Scott's who wasn't moving back. It seemed they both knew what was going to happen and they both wanted it. Perhaps it would be their first time kissing another man; they hadn't discussed that. They didn't know that much about each other in that sense. Finally, their lips touched, tentatively at first, but with time, their kiss became more assertive, more hungry, each young man opening his lips slightly to allow the other's tongue to enter and explore. The feeling was extraordinary. Their moans said so. Their bodies tingled, they were filled with an odd wave of excitement and satisfaction. They discovered for the first time the amazing sensation of kissing someone they wanted to kiss, of making a connection that felt natural, that was satisfying, making them dizzy. They finally had to break away for air. They got carried away by the elation and their lips went back to work, their hands were exploring each other's back and arms and stomach. This was too good to be true.

After a moment, Stewart caught his breath and looked at his friend. Scott was just mesmerized. His eyes were bright, even in the darkness. They were both enjoying this experience. In fact, it was the first time for each of them, it was the first time holding another man closely and kissing him and touching him in a way that was soft and gentle and intimate. They didn't talk, though. Their only communication was physical. No words were needed.

Stewart turned Scott around and pushed him gently back against the wall of the church. He undid his belt and Scott's belt and gently got their cocks out of the confines of their pants and underwear. They were both hard. Given the location and their limited experience in the matter, what happened next was rather insignificant but greatly satisfying. They approached each other even more, their cocks ending side by side. The moment they touched, electricity went right through their bodies. The feeling was one they had never experienced. In this position, each young man's head rested on the shoulder of his companion, providing a surprising closeness, intimacy, and they started rubbing against each other's body. As they were getting excited, Scott took their two members, held them together and increased the tossing movement. It was the first time Scott touched another man's cock. Not that he didn't know what to do! The feeling made his head spin. They were so excited that they quickly reached orgasm, the sensation was out of this world. This first time had been amazing, it took them to a different world, and they both realised it was an experience they would never forget.

They cleaned themselves, pulled themselves together and looked at each other; they smiled but the moment was a bit awkward. Was it guilt? Who knows. They didn't worry about it. They walked back onto the path and continued their walk home, each going his own way at some point. They lived in different parts of town. They never talked about this afterwards.

* * *

"So, tell me, what happened, really?" Stewart said, settling down next to Scott, their shoulders almost touching. They were by themselves and Scott felt comfortable. Stewart was not someone who would go around repeating what he would tell him. Over the years, playing with him on the team, he got to know him. He figured out he was a reliable person, someone he could trust. Given that they were both gay, had admitted it to each other, he felt safe. And yes, he remembered the episode behind the church! How could he not. It had been amazing for him, even if a little rushed. And no one had known about it, so that confirmed to him that Stewart was not someone to blurt things out.

He told him the whole story, the past two years with his father, his coming to terms with himself, meeting Ray, then the incident with his father and what happened a couple of weeks ago when he moved out.

Stewart remained silent. Someone he should have known more about went through hell and he didn't know about it. He felt helpless, he was very saddened by what he heard.

Rubbing his hands together, trying to find the right words, he said, "Scott, I am so sorry to hear about this. Given what we have in common, I feel I should have known or sensed something."

"Don't worry about it, really, it's alright. I'm over the worst." He stopped for a moment and thought. "You know, when you're stuck in a situation of violence like mine, and I can now see what it really was, you almost feel it's your fault, you almost feel that you bring it onto yourself."

"Don't be daft, Scott. What you told me is not something a real father does to his kid."

"I know, I know that now, but at the time, I figured if I could just stop thinking I was gay, just pretend a bit more and get a girlfriend, just bide my time until I could move out, get my own place. But even then, there was no denying who I was, I just couldn't do that. It would have been so hypocritical of me, and so hard."

"You had met Ray by then, hadn't you?"

"I had, yes, Ray was really great with me, he's such a nice guy, so caring and generous. I hope you'll have a chance to meet him soon. And his friends Aaron and Jackson, they were amazing. They orchestrated my move out of my parents' place. It was all together sad, weird, funny and scary!" He was laughing about it now. With some distance, it allowed him to do that.

"Well, I'm glad you have a boyfriend. I mean, you and I have been checking each other out for a while now but, no offence, I don't think you're my type," he said chuckling.

"You only wish!" Scott was almost relieved to hear that. They were mates and all, but he didn't think either that they were boyfriend material. He certainly thought Stewart was good looking, and he was, but personality wise, it wouldn't work. Stewart was a party boy and liked to get drunk just a little too often for Scott. And Scott had Ray.

"Yeah, right," Stewart said, bumping his shoulder on Scott's. "Listen, you just said you were driving back and forth between here and Hotten and it must be expensive. Why don't you stay at our place during the week, my mum wouldn't mind, we have two extra bedrooms. My sisters have all moved out and I'm the last one left at home. I'm serious, you should think about it. I'll talk to my parents, but I'm sure they'd love to have you. And before you ask, yes, they know I'm gay. I told them a few months ago. You have no idea how liberating it was!"

Compared to Scott's parents, Stewart's parents were hippies! They had figured out before their son that he was gay. They had just waited for him to come to terms with it. When he finally told them, they told him they were so glad he told them when he did because if he had waited any longer, they would have talked to him about it! Stewart never forgot that moment when they said that. He was so stunned and pleased and relieved. Yet, he was confused, he was wondering if they were winding him up, but knowing his parents, he figured they weren't. Looking at them, slightly incredulous, he burst out laughing! The three of them laughed about it, and that was it. Finally, it was out in the open and it was a big weight off Stewart's shoulders.

"Are you serious?" Scott asked. He was excited about that prospect. He wasn't sure what Ray would thing about it, but he thought he should discuss it with him. He wasn't keen at first to be away from Ray for four nights every week, but it was only for a few months, time to finish high school and get into college, and he knew college would be in Hotten. Besides, this would be good for them, it would be an opportunity to establish trust.

"Of course, I am. Really. Look, it's not a question of pity, it wouldn't be right, but I think that you and I should have been closer long before now. And I don't mean sexually or as boyfriends, just as mates. We have something in common and I think it would have been good for us to have had each other. Anyway, there's no point in wishing what hasn't happened, but we can shape some of what will be happening. I really want to help you now that I know I can do something, so, what do you say? At least, think about it, please."

Again, Scott was baffled. This was another example of how lucky he was to have such good people around him, he was a very fortunate young man. And Stewart was a nice guy, so he knew he was honest in his attempt to help him.

"Look, I really appreciate your offer. It would be great, thank you. I'll talk to Ray to see what he thinks, and maybe the three of us could meet for drinks soon, just to break the ice."

"I'd like that. I'm assuming you're going to Hotten this weekend to see your boyfriend, right?"

"Yeah, I'll be going down, why?"

"Well, I'll probably be at Bar West on Saturday, maybe we can meet there, what do you think?"

"OK, sounds like a plan. Look, Stewart, thank you for this offer. It means a lot. The past several weeks have been bloody chaos for me and quite honestly, I don't know where I'd be without the friends I have around me. And I guess, now, I should count you among these people."

"You should, and I'm sorry it didn't happen sooner. The best thing right now is to just move forward. You let me help you and both of us will be happy!"

"Alright then, see you at Bar West on Saturday."

They parted, both happy to have finally connected on the right level. Scott had a possible solution to his expensive and time-consuming commute and Stewart was finally able to do something for a guy he really liked. He knew they couldn't be boyfriends, but still, he liked Scott a lot and this was a way of showing it.

TBC


	28. Chapter 28

_**For all those readers who were suspicious of Stewart's intentions. Enjoy!**_

Chapter 28

_Friday night at Ray's place._

Ray and Scott spent some time discussing Stewart's offer. It made sense and they both knew that, but Ray was a little apprehensive. However, he didn't want to say anything. The past month had been really hard on Scott, and Ray thought this would help make things easier for his boyfriend. He hadn't known Scott for a very long time, really, but from what he was saying about Stewart, he seemed like a nice enough lad and he wanted to trust Scott's judgement. This was an excellent opportunity to strengthen their relationship. Besides, they'd be meeting Stewart tomorrow.

* * *

Saturday night, Aaron and Jackson were back in Bar West, it felt like old times. They were dancing; yes, Aaron was actually dancing with Jackson and enjoying himself. The music was thumping, they felt the vibrations through their chests, and they were having a great time. To their surprise, Mark and Brian walked in. For once, they hadn't planned on a night out together but since they were all there, might as well get a table for the group. They found one away from the dance floor, which was what they preferred.

While they were having a chat about their week, in walked Ray and Scott. Having seen them from their spot, they waved at them to invite them to join their group. Scott and Ray were pleased with that. They were looking for familiar faces. The evening was going well, they were all having a great time. Scott explained to them that he was supposed to meet Stewart, this friend of his who offered him a place to stay during the week, so he wouldn't have to commute between Hotten and his hometown of Pinedale, where school was.

About a half hour later, Stewart walked into Bar West. He came along with Martin Blackmore and Larry Beech. Scott was gobsmacked. 'What were these guys doing here?' he thought. They were members of the football team, tall lads, smart players and, well, damn good looking! Well, except for Larry Beech, but then again, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. So Scott wasn't going there! Figuring that Stewart knew what he was doing bringing these guys to a gay bar, he didn't question it further. If there was anything to know, he'd find out later when Stewart would tell him.

Having noticed Stewart and his friends, Scott excused himself and left the group. He whispered something into Ray's ear, kissed him on the cheek and walked away. Ray was looking at him walking away, a bit of a smile on his face.

"Who are those guys?" Jackson asked, curious. Ray's expression hadn't gone unnoticed.

"Scott's friend Stewart came in with his mates. He isn't sure what's happening and he's going to find out. As far as he knows, the two other guys are not gay, but we might be surprised. The night is young, anything is possible."

"Stewart, great to see you here," Scott said while putting his hand on his shoulder. "And you brought Martin and Larry with you."

"I did, I hope you're OK with that."

"Hey, as long as they're comfortable knowing where they are, I'm fine," Scott replied, looking at his teammates, still sure they were not gay.

Seeing some surprise in Scott's eyes, Stewart immediately understood.

"Oh, my god, you obviously don't know about them."

"Know what?"

"These two are together, have been for almost a year."

When Stewart saw the surprise in Scott's face, he couldn't help but laugh. "Well, it wasn't my place to tell you, was it?" he said, looking at his mates.

The two of them looked at Scott and smiled. Martin actually approached him and gave him a hug. "Scott, you have no idea how great it feels to be able to do this. I've had my suspicions about you, well, both Larry and I have, but we just didn't know how to deal with it. I guess we're not taught this at school. We wanted so much to get to know you more, but you know how it is, the stupid fears of being wrong about you, of the unknown. Anyway, so glad we can finally see the real you and you can see the real us."

"Well, same here," Scott said with a laugh and feeling great relief. This was quite a surprise, he certainly wasn't expecting this. Martin and Larry together? He would have imagined all kinds of scenarios, but this one, no! Then again, looking at them afterwards, he noticed how attentive Larry was towards Martin, very caring and the perfect boyfriend. He thought to himself that if these two were together and happy, there was nothing wrong in the world. Why shouldn't they find happiness? Good for them, he thought. But he was impressed at how well they had managed to hide their relationship. At the same time, he thought it was sad that they felt they had to hide their happiness. He supposed they didn't know for sure what to expect from the other guys on the team. They were not in a position to pull a Gareth Thomas, so they kept quiet. You think you know your mates, you think you can trust them, but at the same time, there is always a certain part of you that fears their reaction. What if it becomes a problem? What if the guys don't react the way you expect them? What if they outright reject you? Big questions for people that age.

Scott went to get Ray so he could meet them all, they had a drink together, they talked about the season, how they were faring against their major opponents, and their performance in general. Here were five manly lads enjoying drinks together and talking sports, except they were all gay and in a gay bar! Scott thought this was great, this was normal life as it should be, at least for him and for them.

"So, what's with the cast, Scott, what happened?" Martin asked, casually.

Scott slowly turned to Ray then to Stewart. This could prove awkward. Seeing his friend's hesitation, Stewart leaned closed to him and said he hadn't said anything, that it wasn't his place to do so. Scott immediately smiled at him. This was again proof he could trust him.

"Stupid accident at home, trying to bring wood into the house, missed my step coming into the cellar and fell down. Not proud of it, but here I am."

That was the biggest lie he ever told and he didn't feel too good about it. He worked hard at keeping a convincing face, hoping his teammates would believe him. Seemed to work, to his great relief.

"Well, we miss you on the team, I'm sure you know that," Larry replied. "I hope you'll be able to come back soon."

"I'll have to get some physio first, so I'll see. I can't wait to get back on the field, though.

Putting his arm around Scott's waist, Ray listened to the conversation. Eventually, they talked about Stewart's offer and all agreed it made sense. Stewart was pleased, he was genuinely hoping Scott would accept. He understood his boyfriend's slight hesitation, but in the end, he was only trying to help Scott. He was truly devastated by what Scott had told him and just couldn't fathom his own father behaving like that with him.

Stewart leaned close to Ray's ear, the music was loud so he wanted to make sure he could be heard. "I know how Scott was hurt, he told me. I just want to help him. Trust me, I don't want his ass nor his heart, they're all yours." He pulled away with a grin on his face and he winked at him.

Ray was taken aback by Stewart's frankness and burst out laughing. "Fair enough, if you put it like that," Ray replied, still chuckling. Stewart was very happy by Ray's reply and gave him a big smile. Everything should be alright then. He and Ray were good friends of Scott and they both simply wanted to help him, make things easier for him.

* * *

It had been a little over a month now that Scott had left his parents' place. He had settled into a new routine of spending the week at Stewart's place and going down to Hotten for the weekends to spend them with Ray and his parents.

The Branswells had been very welcoming. They had even sat the boys down to discuss some money issues. They knew Scott had a part-time job that brought him some money but there were other needs that were not covered anymore by his parents, so they offered to help him, saying he wouldn't have to repay them. Scott had gratefully accepted, but on the condition he could reimburse them. They reluctantly agreed, understanding the boy's pride and his desire to still manage partly on his own during this difficult chapter in his life.

Scott hadn't heard from his father, but his mother had left a few messages on his phone. He had sent her emails to reassure her, to say he was managing well and that he had plenty of support around him. Scott was still hurting from the events that led to his moving out. He wasn't sure if and when he'd be able to face his father, the pain was still too fresh––the physical pain and the emotional one.

He had been afraid that his father would show up at school and make things even more difficult, create a bit of a scene, but it hadn't happened. Scott had gone to the administration to explain that he wasn't living with his parents anymore and that if there was a need to contact them for something, to please let him know. In case of an emergency, he gave them the name of Mr. and Mrs. Branswell. They had offered, among other things, to serve as emergency contacts. These people never ceased to amaze him. The headmaster had given him a suspicious look, asking if everything was alright. Scott's reply was that indeed they were––now. He didn't want to go into details and the headmaster had respected that; Scott had been grateful.

Scott's mother had alluded to things being difficult at home, that she might be going to visit her sister for a while. His mother had said that his father was keeping to himself, that he was quiet, that he was probably depressed.

Scott loved his mother dearly and it saddened him that things were heading this way. As for his father, he just didn't feel anything for him right now. Quite honestly, he didn't care. As far as he was concerned, his father had brought all this upon himself and he was the only one who could change things. So Scott was not going to go crawling back because his dad was depressed. He's a grown man, he should know how to take care of himself.

It's not that he didn't have feelings for his father anymore, quite the contrary, but his feelings were very confused right now. Up until about two years ago, he did like his father very much, they were fairly close and would connect well, but the past couple of years had been weird, what with his obsession about Scott needing a girlfriend and these upsets caused by what he perceived as inappropriate physical contacts on the sports field. That's when things started to be strange and unpleasant. But Scott was not giving up, although he kept that to himself. He was definitely hoping his dad would sort himself out and that their relationship would heal. Aside from being overly focused on religion, Gordon was a nice man with a decent sense of humour and a pretty good heart. He had been a good father and husband. Scott knew that man would be allowed to come back if he could get his head out of the bible and his eyes focused a little more on real life, on the world around him.

TBC


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

It was late November already, the weather was getting colder. The autumn colours had faded, the trees had shed their leaves and taken that barren look they adopt for a few months before life springs up again through them.

Scott's cast had finally come off and he was now only wearing a supportive bandage. He had started physio and was going twice a week, he wanted to regain the use of his hand as soon as possible. However, the physio sessions were much more demanding than just moving his fingertips. His father had definitely done serious damage to his fingers. His knuckles and articulations were stiff after several weeks being stuck in the cast, and the first time he tried to move them, it hurt a lot. The pain associated with the physio exercises was bringing back sad memories. After a while, he managed to focus on his recovery and he started making good progress.

He decided to stay in Pinedale this Friday night to finish a school assignment. There wasn't much work left on it and he preferred to finish it in order to be completely free for the weekend that he would spend with Ray.

Saturday morning, he got up early, prepared his bag, took a shower and had a quick breakfast. He moved quietly around the house, careful not to wake anyone up. Stewart was still fast asleep in his room and it seems to be the same with his parents. They all knew he would be leaving early Saturday morning to go to Hotten, so they had said their goodbyes the night before.

Stewart and his parents were enjoying having Scott around. He was good company for Stewart and he was actually helping him be more studious, apply himself a bit more in his schoolwork. Scott was happy to help him whenever he needed it. There was a sense of closeness between them but it never went beyond that. Stewart had been true to his word. He wasn't interested in Scott in a romantic manner. But they were very good mates.

Outside, the early morning air was crisp, the rain and clouds from the previous day were replaced by temperatures around freezing point. He was going to have to be careful on the road. Scott was not foolish at the wheel anyway, so it shouldn't be a problem. He turned the music on and decided to take a secondary road in order to avoid the heavy traffic on the motorway. The sun was now rising on the horizon, the drive should take him about an hour. Emmerdale was actually off another smaller road along the way, sort of midway between Hotten and Pinedale, where he went to school.

He was making good time. Ahead of him was a nice stretch of road. The trees on the hills bordering the road were glistening in the morning sun, their limbs covered by a crystal-clear coating that made them sparkle. He maintained his speed but started slowing down because of the bend ahead. As he neared the bend, he noticed the icy pavement, a slight dip in the road having kept some water that had frozen. What followed seemed to happen in slow motion. Even as he steered the car the right way to keep it on the road, the weight of the vehicle, its momentum and the patch of ice were creating a situation that could only end one way.

The car skidded off the road and ended up in the ditch, resting on the driver's side in a precarious balance. Scott was pressed against his window, unable to open it or the door. The only solution for Scott would be to get himself out of his seat and climb up and out of the passenger's side, but in the hope that the car wouldn't move and roll on its roof. There was also the issue of his left hand that was definitely not completely healed.

Scott remained surprisingly calm. He didn't seem to be hurt, he could move all his limbs properly and there was no blood he could see. A bit of soreness on his shoulder from the bump when the car slammed down, but that was it. He was grateful for his seat belt and the air bag that had deployed.

He managed to wiggle his phone out of his jeans pocket and figured he should call Ray first, since he was expecting him.

Ray was having breakfast when his phone rang. He was surprised to hear Scott's voice since he didn't expect him for another half hour at least. But after listening to what Scott had to say, he became very worried. What if the car rolled over? They tried to figure out the best way to handle this. Actually, Scott was the one having to calm Ray down.

Ray made an effort to remain calm. "What about calling Aaron at the garage in Emmerdale? He's actually not too far from where you are and I'm pretty sure he wouldn't mind. Let me call him and I'll call you right back." Ray ended the call and quickly dialed Aaron's number.

At Dale Head, Aaron and Jackson were also having breakfast. Saturdays were a little more relaxed since the garage opened at eight thirty. The business was opened only for the morning on Saturdays.

His phone rang.

"Hum, Ray's calling pretty early for a Saturday morning," he commented, looking at the screen on the phone and then glancing at Jackson.

"Well, answer, maybe he needs something."

Aaron pushed the button to take the call.

"Hi Ray, what's up?"

He listened carefully to what Ray was telling him. Jackson could see in Aaron's face that something had happened. While listening to Ray, Aaron was getting up, taking a last sip of his tea and making for the kitchen sink with his dishes.

"Look, calm down, call Scott back, tell him we'll be there as soon as we can and tell him not to move. As long as he doesn't smell any smoke or petrol, he'll be fine. I suggest you get yourself here and we'll all meet up here later at the garage. I reckon we'll be back in about an hour and a half."

"What's up?" Jackson asked.

"Scott had an accident and I need to go get him out of a ditch. Nothing serious, I don't think. Wanna come with me? I could use an extra pair of hands."

"Oh, so now your favourite brickie's gonna come in handy, is he?"

He smiled at Jackson, remembering that exchange they had years ago in the forecourt. "You're right, now get your ass in gear!"

They left the house quickly and went to the garage. Aaron got the tow truck keys, checked the cables and tools he'd need and told Rob where he was going. Rob was already at work, always liked to get an early start on Saturdays.

"Should be back in about an hour or so. I got my phone if something happens," he told Rob. "And I've got my helper," he said with a smile.

Jackson slapped him on the arm. "Don't diss the helper, he might save your butt over there. Come on, let's go."

They were on the road in no time. They knew fairly well where they were going but they didn't have an exact location. They just had to keep an eye on the road, they'd find him easily enough, and they also had to be careful. The sun hadn't completely melted the ice on the road, so they didn't want to end up in the ditch themselves.

Jackson saw the car first in the distance. "There he is, the red car over there on the bend.

They approached the turn slowly and stopped the vehicle, put the emergency lights on and put up some safety triangles up the road to warn other drivers to slow down. While Aaron was preparing the cables, Jackson jumped down into the ditch and made it in front of the car to see Scott inside.

"You alright, mate?" Jackson yelled trying to be heard through the windscreen.

"Yeah, I am, but can you get me out of here?"

"No worries, we'll get to it right now. Aaron says to put the car in neutral and we'll get you out of the ditch," he said before moving away and getting back on the road. With Jackson's help, Aaron attached a couple of cables to secure spots under the car, slowly brought the car down from its precarious position and pulled it out of the ditch. There was some sliding and scratching but they managed, after about fifteen minutes of careful work, to pull the car onto the roadway. There was a fair bit of damage to the driver's side, but nothing that couldn't be repaired. They finally were able to get Scott out of the car by having him slide to the passenger side. He was very relieved to be out. Even if he wasn't hurt, it was still a bit scary and unnerving.

"Thank you so much, guys, I really appreciate your help. I hope you don't mind that Ray called you on a Saturday morning," Scott said, apologetically. "And I'll pay for this, obviously.

"Don't be daft. Besides, we work on Saturday mornings and this is a lot more fun than doing paperwork," Aaron said with a chuckle. He liked the guys and he was glad he was able to help them.

"You should give Ray a call to tell him you're fine and out of the car. He'll be waiting for us at the garage. I know he's quite worried," Jackson added.

After loading the car onto the flatbed, they made their way back to Emmerdale. Scott was anxious to see Ray, but not as anxious as Ray was to see him.

While waiting for them to arrive at the garage, Ray kept thinking about his boyfriend and how things were rough for him right now. He was going to have to find a way of getting him to Pinedale now that his car was out of commission. However, he was sure they'd be able to figure something out.

The tow truck finally made its way down main street Emmerdale. Aaron turned around at the bottom of the drive leading to the garage and then backed into the forecourt so they could unload the car to the side and have a chance to look at it properly to figure out what repairs were needed.

Once the truck came to a stop, Scott jumped out and went straight to Ray. They kissed each other briefly and then embraced each other for what seemed like a long time. Ray was giving Scott a bone-crushing hug that said clearly how happy he was to see him safe and sound.

"I'm so relieved to know you're safe," Ray said without letting go.

"I'm right here with you, I'm fine," Scott replied, with a small smile on his face. He put a light kiss to his neck. He realised at that moment how wonderful it felt to be wanted, to be important in someone's life. Ray was giving him that message right now and it felt incredible.

Jackson and Aaron noticed them hugging tightly. Looking at each other, they exchanged a smile. It brought back memories of them when they started their relationship. But most of all, they really enjoyed seeing them so close, realising that they were starting to be important for each other.

Aaron and Jackson went to the back of the tow truck and once the car was on the ground, Jackson helped Aaron collect the cables and put everything back in place, ready for the next call. Tow trucks must always be ready to go, like ambulances.

"So, the brickie didn't fare too badly," Jackson quipped as he slapped Aaron's butt while walking behind him.

"The brickie's gonna get himself into trouble if he doesn't stop asking for it!" Aaron replied while turning quickly and grabbing Jackson's hand. He pulled him close and gave him a long kiss, something that would warm him up on this cold morning.

"Erm, excuse me, but could the four of you mind the minority guy here?"

Rob! They all seemed to have forgotten him while he was minding his own business, his head stuck under a bonnet. Good thing Cain wasn't there today. The ribbing would have been endless!

Scott was taken by surprise and quickly pulled away from Ray but Aaron soon reassured him and told him that Rob was fine. He was just winding them up. Actually, Ray had been chatting earlier with Rob while he waited for them to arrive. Turning to Rob, he introduced his boyfriend Scott. They all had a quick chat before Jackson invited the boys in for a coffee.

Aaron stayed behind to finish his work and make a couple of phone calls.

He had examined the car carefully and figured out that the undercarriage would need to be checked and the bodywork on the driver's side could be handled at their garage. But they didn't have a paint room, so he called Brian to find out if he could help. It so happened that Brian's shop had two apprentices from the local trades college who were working there and they could take care of the paint job. It would actually be excellent experience for them.

It was sorted. All that would be required from Scott is to pay for parts and paint, and Brian was going to see how he could actually get it at cost for him, so it wouldn't be much. The parts for the car would be a bit more expensive, but Aaron was sure he could figure something out to help him.

He was pleased with himself. He'd have good news to give Scott. He knew he'd be worried about the car, so that should ease his worries.

Jackson, Ray and Scott were sitting around the kitchen table sipping on coffee when Aaron came in.

"So, how bad is it?" Scott asked, wondering how much that was all going to cost him and how long he'd be without his car.

Aaron told him about his arrangements and figured he'd have his car back in about three weeks. Brian had offered to help Aaron with the mechanical part of the job, and Rob offered to give a hand with the bodywork before it went to the paint shop.

"What have I done to be surrounded by people like you?" he asked, very grateful of all the offers of help that came from these newfound friends.

"Sometimes, good things happen to good people," Jackson said. "Don't try to analyse it too much."

"I suppose you're right. But, thank you again."

TBC


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Later that same evening, Jackson and Aaron were home alone. After having had lunch all together at the Woolpack, Ray had taken Scott home where they were to spend the weekend.

"What you did today with Scott was very generous and very nice," Jackson pointed out.

"Well, it was the right thing to do, right? I mean, they called for help and we were able to go, and I'm glad actually that they called. That means they're comfortable enough with us. I like that."

Jackson looked at him with an amused expression.

"Why are you looking at me like that for?" Aaron asked, sure his boyfriend had something on his mind.

"You've done it again. You've played Mister Good Guy and you just want to sweep that good deed under the carpet."

"What you on about?"

"Remember what Brian said about you at college, that you were always ready to help out? Remember how he pointed out the many times you helped him move or when his brother died? You're a good man, Aaron, you're generous, not just with me, but with others. And it's so beautiful, I like that in you."

"Stop it, you big softie!"

"Don't be embarrassed, Aaron, what you've done is fantastic. Generosity is a good quality." Jackson's voice was soft and he was running his fingers along Aaron face and jawline. He leaned in to kiss his boyfriend. "You're not going to charge him for the tow, you've enlisted Rob and Brian to help fix and paint the car and you'll probably do your best to charge as little as possible for the parts. Don't deny it, you're the big softie here."

"Well, it feels good to help," Aaron admitted. "And it's down to you, you're a good person and you've obviously rubbed off on me a bit. I guess another thing I learned with you is that it's OK to show that side of me." Then he added with a cheeky smile on his face, "I clearly didn't need your looks, mind you, but your kindness is a good thing to pass on to me."

Pulling Aaron close to him for a passionate kiss, Jackson stared at the blue eyes, "You're right, you don't need anything from me in the looks department, you're doing extremely well on your own."

Aaron smiled, and blushed something furious, but he kissed Jackson back and lost himself in the attentions of his boyfriend. Jackson's hands were roaming under Aaron's shirt, he was feeling his muscular back then his pectorals, stopping to pinch his nipples as they were awaken by the warm, tingling sensation that was now invading Aaron's body. Their bodies close together, they fell backward onto the sofa, Aaron's left leg pressing not too subtly on Jackson's crotch. It was now Aaron's turn to let his hands roam freely over Jackson's chest. As the boys came up for air, Jackson took Aaron's hands in his, kissed the top of them and said, "Bedroom, now."

* * *

At Ray's place, Scott and Ray were settled on the sofa facing each other, their legs on either side of the other's body. A couple of sidelights were giving a warm glow to the room, it was intimate and quiet. They had been talking about the day's events.

"You know, when I noticed the car starting to spin out of control, I didn't really panic but I immediately thought of you and quickly saw, in my mind's eye, all the moments we had spent together. I never thought I was going to die, I wasn't going fast enough for that, but still, it's scary to lose control. But when I'm with you, I feel I'm in control."

Scott was opening up to Ray. He needed to share his experience of earlier in the day. Since leaving the family home, his life was split between Stewart's home, school and Ray's place. He was fine at all those places, school was actually pretty good, but there was a stronger attachment to Ray's place because of the nature of their relationship and the fact it was growing stronger.

"Right after you called," Ray said, "I sat here for a moment, stunned. After what happened to me, coming so close to maybe dying, I was wondering what could be worse than dying… Probably loosing you, that's what I thought. Now that my life was starting to shape up and make sense, knowing you could have been hurt in that accident really made me realise that we have to take advantage of life, of the moment right now."

Ray paused for a bit, staring at Scott, delicately taking his bad hand in his, running his fingers over it.

"The fact that we were able to get you away from your father probably means it's up to us now to make things happen, to make sure we take the steps so our lives are good. I know thinking about your dad is not the most pleasant thing, but still, we've got each other, we've got great friends, you still have your sisters and I have my parents here. And they'll take you in anytime, they seem to like you!" Ray said with a chuckle.

"Funny you should say that," Scott followed, "Stewart's parents are ready to take me in as well! I seem to have my choice of alternate parents, but the ones I should have are not there for me. Pretty sad, isn't it?"

Ray could clearly see the sadness in Scott's eyes and hear it in his voice when he said that, he knew Scott was hurting, what his father did to him was too much, it went too far.

"I can't fix what your father did and said to you, that's up to him, but I can assure you of my support and my love. I hope that's enough."

Scott was moved. To have Ray tell him that really made him feel good, reassured him. He was still a young man, he still needed to face life with its good side and its ugly side, but with that kind of support around him, he was sure he could face the ugly side without fear.

Scott leaned forward, capturing Ray's lips in a soft kiss, "It will be more than enough. As you can imagine, this relationship with you is new, it's my first, I guess we're both pretty inexperienced at it, but one thing is for sure, I know I… I know I like you very much and having you with me makes things so much better. I read somewhere something that went about like this: _I don't know where the path of my life will take me, but I'll walk much easier with my hand holding yours._"

"Scott Campbell, you are a romantic! This is so beautiful!" Ray exclaimed. He was quite taken by this admission. "I'll be happy to hold your hand, well in the rhetorical sense of it for now," he said shyly, "as long as you'll let me."

"Let's see how long we can make it last," Scott said as he put his good hand behind Ray's head and brought him close to kiss him warmly.

* * *

The following Tuesday, back at school in Pinedale, Scott and Stewart were walking in the hallway leading to the main stairs. Up the stairs were the headmaster's office to one side of the lobby, and classrooms to the other side. There were windows all around the upper part of the lobby and bright light was coming in. The sun was strong for this November morning.

As they walked through the lobby, Scott turned his head toward the entrance of the building and he saw him coming in. He recognized with alarm the figure now walking through the front doors. His heart was ready to jump out of his throat, he wasn't sure what to do or what to think. He stopped, his feet almost stuck to the floor. Stewart had turned around when he noticed that Scott wasn't next to him anymore and that he was likely talking to himself.

"What's up, Scott?"

Scott didn't answer yet. He just stared at him then turned his eyes to look at Stewart.

"That's my father. I don't know what he wants."

"Do you want me to stay with you?" Stewart asked. Before Scott had time to answer, he continued, "I'll stay right here, go see what he wants then tell him to leave if you don't want him to be here. If he kicks off, I'll come quickly."

"I suppose." His answer was hesitant, his voice shaky. Not that he was afraid of him, he knew he wouldn't hurt him, not again and certainly not here, but still, he didn't know what to expect. Slowly, he turned to walk towards his father. He didn't have to say anything. Gordon Campbell walked a few steps towards his son then stopped.

"I was going to leave this with the headmaster, since you haven't told us where you live," he said as he gave Scott a brown envelope, "but since you're here, I'll give it to you." As soon as he was finished, he looked briefly at his son, but then cast his eyes down towards the floor, unable to hide the shame he still felt about himself. He turned around and walked out.

Scott was speechless, but he was relieved to see him go. What was this envelope about? He was going to wait until lunchtime before he opened it, he had classes and he didn't have time for this just yet.

At lunch time, the two friends sat at a table away from the crowds, they had just finished eating their lunch. Scott decided to open the envelope to find out what was in it. He carefully pulled out a single sheet, folded in two. It was a handwritten letter. He started reading…

_Scott,_

_I didn't think you would want to see me, and I don't blame you, that's why I'm writing this letter._

_Your leaving home has left me in shock, well, both me and your mother. I am now realising that I have lost my son and that it's all my fault. _

_I truly regret having hurt you, physically and emotionally, and there is no excuse for it. I only realise now how wrong it was, how horribly wrong. _

_I'm still not OK with this gay thing. I still think being homosexual is not natural, but it's different when it's my son, my own flesh and blood. It makes it more real, more painful. More wrong, maybe? It's something I don't want, but it seems inevitable. I'm pretty sure you didn't choose to be like that, because who would choose this willingly? I don't think anyone would. I wanted to save you, but that's not the point, it's not how it works. I'm slowly coming to realise that, but I'm having a hard time understanding the whole thing._

_When I hurt you, I was behaving like an animal, not like a father. My actions were fuelled by beliefs that sometimes are not anchored in reality, in life's facts––my behaviour was totally unacceptable._

_I've lost you. You now fear me and probably hate me, and I understand. You have every reason to. My relationship with your mother is on shaky grounds. She's gone to her sister for a bit. I know this is down to me and the way I've behaved with you. Maybe she was sick of me, of what I became. I can understand that. I'll try my best to fix it. I don't want to lose her, too._

_All by myself here, I'm able to think, to reflect on what happened, on what I did. The wickedness of it is hitting me. Religion was supposed to save me. It saved my parents, at least I think it did. Who knows… they're dead now and I don't know if they went to heaven or to hell. I'd like to believe that they went to heaven. They were good people. But for me, religion ended up making me push away those I loved, or thought I loved. Well, I do love you both, but something isn't right in my way of showing it. You never hurt those you love. So, I guess I don't love you as much as I thought or should. I will try and fix that too, because my love for you is supposed to be unconditional. And I do love you, please, believe me. _

_You were right. Religion was my drug. When you called me a sad, pathetic drug addict, you can't imagine how much those words hurt me, but I deserved them because it was true. Coming from you, those words kicked me in a way that got me thinking. Just so you know, at work, we have access to counselling services that can help me, and I will be getting help. I need it and I will do it. _

_I know I'm not in a position to ask for anything, but that won't stop me. Not for what I want to ask. The first thing is, please, let me know, by whatever way you want, that you're safe and happy. My feelings for you might be a complete mess right now, but there is still something in me that makes me want to know that you're OK. My love for you might be broken but I still care. The second thing I want to ask, well, it might never happen, but I won't know if I don't ask, so here goes: Will you find it in your heart, one day, to forgive me? Right now, I'm not worthy of your forgiveness, and I know it, and I don't blame you at all for holding off, but maybe one day, in a few months, a few years, you'll be able to forgive me. It would mean a lot to me. By then, maybe I'll have come to better understand you, and love you properly again._

_I'm putting in some money with this letter, it might come in handy in taking care of yourself. _

_Good luck, Scott. You deserve the best, but you certainly don't deserve me as a father, at least not for now, because I know I'm not good enough. So I'll just sign off like this…_

_Gordon_

TBC


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Scott remained calm. He showed the letter to Stewart. While Stewart was reading it, Scott put his hand in the envelope to pull out another envelope, a smaller one. Opening it, he saw that it contained over 500 quid! What was his father doing? Was he trying to buy his son back? It could appear like that but Scott didn't think so, not after what he had written in the letter. Scott thought he should probably use the money to pay for the car repairs, or even put it in his bank account and leave it there until he really needed it.

His feelings were mixed. He felt a tinge of guilt but he couldn't understand why. His father had harassed him over the past couple of years about finding a girlfriend, things escalated to the point he had physically hurt him, and Scott had then decided to leave the family home. He hadn't felt safe there anymore, and there was no point in pretending he was going to change for his father's sake. It was not going to happen. Scott didn't know much about being gay, but he knew enough to figure out it was who he was and that he would be living his life as best as he could. He didn't choose to be gay, but he certainly didn't regret it! Odd realisation, when one thinks about it. Besides, what would it accomplish? Absolutely nothing, except bring on even more grief and pain. He was not going to do that, he'd had enough over the past couple of years.

Somehow, he was starting to be comfortable with himself, he now had a boyfriend he was liking more and more, he had good mates, and moving out of the family home might have been a drastic measure at the time, but he was happy with his decision. Living independently, well almost, was good for him. His life had changed so much in the past few months, but it was for the better.

"You should call Ray and tell him about the letter, he should know," Stewart said. "It'll be good for the two of you to talk. But whatever you need, mate, just tell me, you know I'll help you."

"Thanks, and yeah, I'll call him." Scott looked in Stewart's eyes and he could see pain, understanding and compassion. He knew his friend was hoping that things would get back to normal with his dad, but he also knew that it might not be possible. Whatever happened, Stewart was going to be there for him and Scott was very grateful to him for that.

* * *

_Saturday afternoon in Emmerdale_

Aaron and Rob were working on Scott's car. Needing to remove the driver's side door to repair it, Aaron grabbed the inside panel to lift it out of its latches. As he was doing so, his hand touched something that was taped to the inside of the map pocket, but it came off while he was handling the panel, dropping to the ground. Picking it up, he looked at it carefully. It was a small St. Christopher medal inside a plastic pocket and it had been taped away as if to hide it. Aaron was intrigued. From the little bit he knew about Scott, he didn't think he'd be the one to have put it there. Besides, he wouldn't have hidden it. There would have been nothing wrong with having it hanging from the rear-view mirror or even just putting it in the glove box. He was guessing that it was probably his father who would have put it there. In any case, it seemed to have done the trick, Scott wasn't hurt in this accident. Aaron wasn't sure he believed in such things, but there was no reason not to either. He would make sure to give the medal back to Scott and let him know. For a minute, though, he thought about not telling him and putting it back where it was. But, after what happened with his dad, maybe knowing what he did for him would help the two of them reconcile, or at least get them back to talking to each other. That would already be a start.

* * *

The following weekend, Ray and Scott came to Emmerdale to see Aaron and Jackson, and Scott wanted to check on the car, see how the repairs were coming along. He was impressed. There were no sign of the accident left, except for the car having lost some of its paint in the repair process. The body work was done, they were prepping it for the paint job. Brian would send a truck to pick it up on Monday and take it to his garage so the two college apprentices could work on it in the paint shop.

The four of them were joined by Rob who accepted Scott's invitation for lunch and a pint. He wanted to thank the mechanics for the work they were doing on his car. Conversation was flowing easily between them, Scott telling them at some point that he had seen his father at school. That triggered Aaron's memory and he put his hand in his pocket to retrieve the medal. When the time was right, Aaron leaned towards Scott.

"I found this in your car, it came off when I was taking the door panel apart," Aaron said as he handed Scott the small plastic sleeve containing the medal. Seeing the confused look on Scott's face, Aaron pointed out, "It's a St. Christopher medal. He's the patron saint of travelers. Thought you'd want to know."

Scott was suddenly very quiet. Conversation died down at the table. He studied the medal, turned it around to examine an inscription he saw that read, _Always protected. Dad._

"You found it in the car?"

"It was taped to the inside of the map pocket," Aaron confirmed.

"Must be your dad," Ray added. "Wanted you to be safe whenever you were driving. I guess it worked since you weren't hurt when you had your accident."

"I guess so." Scott wasn't sure what to make of this. His thoughts were all over the map. True, he didn't get hurt, but he didn't really believe in these stories. Not getting hurt might have just been a coincidence, or simply the result of the soft landing when he ended up in the ditch. He wasn't driving fast at the time, so there was no reason why the accident should have been dramatic. No matter what, it got him thinking. His dad really was concerned and wanted his son to be alright. So maybe he could actually contact him and tell him, like he had asked in the letter, that he was doing fine and while they'd be talking, tell him about the accident and ask him about the medal. It might begin to help heal the wounds.

Second week of December, Scott got his car back. He picked it up at Aaron's garage. It looked like a new car, the paint job was amazing and the three mechanics had done a great job overall. It felt and drove like a new car. He was very happy and he had thanked them profusely. Ray had driven him over so, when he was ready to go, they went back to Ray's place to spend the rest of the weekend together. Scott would be returning to Pinedale Sunday night.

During the following week, Scott had called his father. He had decided he would do it, in an attempt to maybe help him get better, sort himself out. The conversation had been polite and had left them both feeling a little better. Scott had told him he was doing fine and that he was safe where he was living. He actually told him that he was living with his boyfriend. His marks were good and the physiotherapy was helping him a lot. He had almost regained the full use of his hand. When Scott mentioned the physiotherapy, his father went silent, there was an awkward moment when neither of them spoke.

"Look dad, there is no point ignoring what you did and why you did it. But let's try to put it behind us and go from there." In a sense, Scott wanted to move on from that, but his father definitely needed it. "You need to get better and it won't help you if you stay focused on that. I'm trying to move on from it and you should do the same.

"Now, there's something else I want to tell you. About a month ago, I had a small car accident, nothing serious. The road was slippery and I ended up in the ditch. I wasn't hurt, don't worry. But my friend Aaron who owns a garage did the repair work on the car and… and he found something in the map pocket."

"Oh?" Gordon replied, knowing very well what it was.

"Yeah, the St. Christopher medal. Did you put it there?"

Gordon waited a bit before answering. "I did. I hope you don't mind."

Scott paused for a moment, then added, "No, I don't mind, I guess it worked. I wasn't hurt in the accident. I don't really believe in these things but I know you do." His tone was soft, he knew this was deep in his dad's faith, he knew it was important to him. "I thought you'd like to know I've put it back in the car."

"Thank you."

There wasn't much else to talk about just then, so Scott ended the call. He knew Christmas was coming but he didn't know yet what he wanted to do. He didn't want to discuss plans just yet. He certainly wanted to spend most of it with Ray, but he was also mulling over the idea of visiting his parents, and his sisters who would be coming for dinner on Christmas day. His mother had just recently returned from visiting her sister. Since Gordon had started seeing a counselor, she had felt more comfortable returning home. She hadn't stopped loving her husband, but there were parts of what he needed that she couldn't give him, thus the counseling sessions.

Gordon had been very grateful for the phone call. Knowing Scott was safe was important for him and he was now able to focus even more on his therapy. His son reaching out to him was a huge boost for him emotionally. He was working with his counselor on trying to understand what it meant for Scott to be gay, and also that he and his wife hadn't done anything wrong in bringing him up. There was nothing wrong with Scott and he just had to accept that. Not an easy task. It went against everything he knew and believed in and it was hard. But very slowly, his mind and his heart were opening up to the idea. Knowing he was happy and that he had a boyfriend seemed to help somehow. The counselor had explained to him that it was excellent for Scott to have a boyfriend because it allowed him to grow in a relationship, to become more mature and to have the opportunity to express his feelings. All new concepts for Gordon, but he was willing to work at understanding it all. His goal was to eventually be reunited with his son and working on this acceptance was part of the process.

TBC


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

December was moving along too fast. Aaron and Jackson were starting to make plans for their Christmas holidays, but weren't sure about some of the final details. Aaron wanted to spend Christmas in Emmerdale; Jackson didn't mind since they were likely to be able to escape to Lanzarote again in February or March. So he was totally cool with the idea.

"So, if we go to Lanzarote, I'll be able to perv on your sexy body as it becomes sweaty and brown under the sun," Aaron said with a look and a tone that left Jackson with a clear message.

"You will be able to perv as much as you like, as long as you won't mind my eyes doing their own wandering along the details of your fine curves."

"I have no problem with that," Aaron said, pulling Jackson close and kissing him passionately. He had such a hard time resisting his boyfriend, couldn't get enough of him, "but before we get there, let's sort out Christmas. Paddy and Rhona will want us over for Christmas dinner, what do you think? Should we go?"

"As if we had a choice! They'd kill us if we didn't go, so let's do that. Mum is somewhere in Costa Rica, so she won't be freezing her bum here with us. But I'd like to do something with Brian and Mark, and maybe with Scott and Ray if they're available. How about we have dinner with all of them on the 27th, that way family stuff is taken care of beforehand for all of us and then we can enjoy some time together. There's plenty of room here, so I'm sure we could find a place for each couple to sleep so they don't have to drive back. What do you say?"

"I say let's get on the phone right now and book these people." Aaron was very excited about this plan. It would be a lot of fun to see their friends and they could get silly if they wanted since they could crash at Dale Head for the night. And he could have them around to share in the good news he would likely have by then…

* * *

Scott and Ray were spending some time together at Ray place. That little apartment he had next to his parents' place was so convenient and intimate. They had really grown to like it. They were able to learn to live together, even if it was in short spells, and they were getting closer and closer. Ray the budding artist was getting to know Scott the young educator. Actually, they were getting to know each other much more than they would have otherwise, because they seemed to see their weekends as opportunities to live to the fullest.

Ray was doing very well at college, he was enjoying it and his marks proved it. He was even managing to do some side work for spending money. A web company had contacted him to find out if he could produce some illustrations for a summer camp website and he had accepted the project. He charged them a token amount. They were extremely happy with the work, and he was also very happy with the visibility for his work.

Scott was close to finishing his second to last term. Even with what had happened in the Autumn, he had managed to maintain his marks and he figured he'd be fine with the final exams before Christmas. School work, the part time job, physio and just getting himself sorted had been quite a challenge, but he made it with the help and support of his friends and of his boyfriend. In his mind, he was convinced he did the right thing by taking charge of the life he should live as a gay man. There were lots of life lessons yet to learn, but so far he had done well and he was proud of himself.

"It's going to be Christmas very soon, should we make any plans?" Ray asked.

"Well, do you think we should spend it together?" Scott was a little unsure about this, it was all new for them and he didn't know where he stood with his boyfriend on that question, although he definitely wanted to spend Christmas with him, it would be their first. New territory, new decisions to make. So they were going to talk about it and see where it would take them. Although he didn't really have any other place to go, since he wasn't going to be at his parents' place, he didn't want to presume he'd be with Ray all during the Christmas break. In the back of his mind, he knew he was being silly, but still.

"I wasn't even thinking we wouldn't, but what do you think? I shouldn't assume, really. I mean, my parents would be thrilled to have you here, and so would I, obviously," he added with a big smile, "so consider yourself part of the family, so to speak. It's been long enough now, you know you're actually part of the family."

"Thanks, Ray, that's really good to hear, very comforting." Holding his boyfriend's hands, he continued, "And yeah, I do feel part of your family, your parents have been brilliant with me, I don't know where I'd be without you three." He stopped talking and just looked into Ray's eyes and approached him to kiss him tenderly. He enjoyed so much touching their lips together, softly, feeling the emotion that went right through him when it happened. These were moments he would never forget. These were moments he'd hoped for when he was younger, wondering at the time if it would ever happen, if he would ever meet someone.

Scott had something on his mind. He didn't know how to approach it with Ray, so he was just going to say it. "I wanted to run something by you, see what you thought. My sisters have emailed me to say they'd be up to Pinedale for Christmas dinner and… well, I thought it would be good to see them and I'd like them to meet you."

"What about your father? Isn't he going to be there?" Ray asked, a bit worried.

"Yes, he'll be there and so will mum. But if you're worried about dad, don't, I think that with his therapy, he'll have started to change a bit and he will likely be on his best behavior, especially with my sisters there. They won't take any bullshit from him, so I'm not worried."

"Your sisters are forces to be reckoned with?"

"Oh yes, both career women, one is a lawyer, still single, the other is actually a teacher. She's got a new boyfriend, apparently, but nothing too serious yet. I'm almost ahead of them on that front," he said with a small chuckle.

"Well, let's see. Mum and dad would love to do a Christmas Eve dinner with us, so we could go to your place on Christmas Day for dinner and come back late in the afternoon. Unless you think we should stay there. You're in the driver seat for this, it's your family and with the past history, I'm letting you decide."

"Well, for one thing, I have to be in Pinedale for 10:30 on Christmas Day."

"Wow, that's early! What's the rush?" Ray said, surprised they wouldn't be sleeping in on Christmas Day.

"Oh, I guess that's something I never mentioned before." He suddenly felt a little uneasy, but quickly realised… there was no reason to feel shy about where he needed to be on Christmas morning. "For the past few years, dad and I have volunteered at Hope House, it's a soup kitchen for homeless people, and every Christmas Day, they have a traditional lunch for them with some gifts and singing and all. The place is all decorated and it's quite special. I feel I should be there, the staff is really counting on the volunteers to make this big lunch happen."

"I didn't know you were doing volunteer work. You're keeping secrets from me!" he said with a smile. Ray was quite taken by what Scott had just said. This was something interesting he didn't know about his boyfriend. He knew he was a kind lad, but this helped confirm it.

"I know it might sound a bit nerdy," Scott added with a shy smile, "but it's something I really enjoy doing."

"It doesn't sound nerdy at all. It actually sounds caring and generous. Of course we'll be there by 10:30! It's just an hour between here and Pinedale. Do they need more help? I wouldn't mind chipping in."

"It would be great to have you there with me," Scott replied, excited at the thought of having Ray by his side, "and yes, I know they always need more bodies, but you're sure you won't mind? Remember that some of these people have had it rough, they haven't showered in a while and well, some of them, too, are already drunk by breakfast time!"

"I'm not worried," Ray said, "you'll be there to coach me and tell me what to do, so no, I'm fine. Is your dad going to be there, too?"

"I think so, I know it's very important for him. He really likes doing this for these folks. And so do I. There is something very satisfying in seeing their smiles and the bit of happiness this brings them on that day. It's almost a bit of a gift to myself when I do that, a good kind of selfishness."

"Well, maybe if he sees me there with you giving a hand, he'll have a chance to see that what we do together is more than just sleep together? You know what I mean? Our lives are not that much different than anybody else's."

"Yeah, I know, a lot of people only think about the sex when they hear the word _gay_, and if they only knew how ordinary our lives are, they'd think again."

"Exactly, we all lead boring lives, not just the straight folks!"

"Erm, I wouldn't say boring," Scott said as he grabbed his boyfriend by the waist and got him close. He kissed Ray very slowly, sending a message of affection and warmth. He took his time.

"You're right, not that boring!" Ray agreed with a smile. "But they don't need to know that, do they?"

"No, they certainly don't. Well, that's settled then. We'll tell your parents then I'll call dad again. Hopefully, it will be okay that you stay for dinner. I'd really like that. We'll take it slowly. Mind you, I'm a little apprehensive about calling him, but I feel this is an opportunity… an opportunity maybe to help him move on."

"You're a good lad, Scott. Even after what happened, you're already concerned about helping your dad. Not many people would do that so readily."

Scott looked at his boyfriend for a moment, "I know, but in the end, there's more to gain from us getting close again than from us walking away from each other forever. If he succeeds in his therapy, he'll understand me and come to accept me, and then he'll be able to have me back in his life. And I'd like very much to fix things. Yeah, what he did was horrible, he lost it, but I think that was an accident and he can get better. At least, I'll give him the opportunity. If it works, great, if it doesn't, at least I will have tried."

Scott thought long and hard before dialing the number. He and his father had spoken before, he had seen that Gordon was making some progress towards understanding his son and making sense of him being gay, but there was still this nagging feeling that never left Scott after his father had turned violent on him. For all those years of growing up, his father had been there, loved him, provided for him, but as Scott got older, he learned to be more independent and he had grown up. And he had found out he was gay. Did he fear his father now? Maybe a little. It's hard not to feel a bit fearful towards someone who suddenly acts violently, and for no good reason. At least, in his mind, not wanting to have a gay son was not a valid reason to hurt him.

Still, if he didn't call, he wouldn't know if it was OK for Ray to come for Christmas dinner. So he braced himself and dialed.

Their conversation had gone alright, Gordon was uneasy at first, but after talking a bit more with Scott, he said Ray would be welcome at their table. He actually said it would be nice to get to know him a little bit and that after all, it was Christmas, time to be together and share. Scott was very relieved to hear that.

* * *

Christmas Eve dinner at the Branswells was going to be very nice. Ray and Scott had gone out during the day to buy Ray's parents a small gift, something they'd enjoy. They both were avid readers and the boys had decided to get them two gift cards they could use at the best bookstore in town. They knew it was money well spent as far as they were concerned.

Scott wanted also to offer them something else as a special thank you for all they had done for him over the past months. He had almost become another son to them. So he had ordered a few days beforehand a beautiful flower arrangement that was delivered during the day. It turned out to be quite stunning with roses and lilies and poinsettias arranged with greenery and festive ribbons. They were delighted with it and put it in pride of place in the living room. All the card said was "Happy Christmas! From your adopted son". They had been very touched by that and they would be sure to thank him when he'd come for dinner since they had figured it was from Ray.

The boys got dressed up a bit, after all, the occasion was special. Trousers and dress shirts did wonders on these young men. It didn't take much to make them look even better!

They showed up on time and had pre-dinner drinks. Mrs. Branswell was so pleased to have them for dinner. She always enjoyed hosting dinners; they were elegant but not stuffy. She always made a point of keeping things simple.

Enjoyment was the main point of these gatherings and she made sure it went that way.

"So, son," Mrs. Branswell said with a smile, looking at Scott, "thank you for the beautiful flowers. You certainly didn't have to do that."

"Well, mum," Scott said with a chuckle, "I just wanted to say thank you for your amazing support over the past few months. I know Ray would have been there anyway, but to have the three of you rallying around me really made me feel special, it made a big difference, and I really felt part of your family." He paused for a moment, taking a deep breath in an effort to control his emotions. Ray noticed and put his hand on his.

Mr. Branswell also noticed and chose to speak, hoping to help Scott. "We're happy we could help. We didn't do much, really, but if it helped you, then we're happy, we're happy for both of you." He was cheerful and he and his wife had felt privileged to be able to step in and provide some parental support, and it was Ray's boyfriend, so it made things even more special and meaningful. They liked the young man, he was smart and serious, and he had goals. And he made Ray happy, so that was even better.

"Thank you," Scott replied, "you did a lot, really. I will always be grateful."

"Now, Ray says you're going to have Christmas dinner at your place tomorrow. Your dad will be there?" Mr. Branswell asked, concerned about what could happen.

"Yes, he will. I spoke to him and he's good with Ray and I being there. He's actually looking forward to meeting him properly. I guess their first encounter wasn't very pleasant." Scott was remembering the time he had moved out and how disgusted Gordon had sounded towards Ray. "We might stay overnight, but we'll see how things go. Last thing I want is more tension or another confrontation. I'm definitely not ready for that."

Ray gave him a knowing look. He understood and agreed with him. They actually both wanted this time to be happy and good. It would be their first Christmas and they were looking forward to the time they would spend together.

TBC


	33. Chapter 33

_Bit of mature content here, but oh! so little!_

Chapter 33

Christmas eve at Dale Head was celebrated in a very simple way. The boys prepared a roast with some grilled vegetables. Aaron could actually cook when he applied himself. Jackson had been shocked to discover that recently and he made every effort to support Aaron's new-found interest and talent. Well, like Aaron positioned it so eloquently, 'you open a recipe book, you read the recipe and you do what they tell you. How complicated can it be?'

Jackson had smiled at his honesty. He was right, how complicated could it be? To be fair, Aaron didn't go into very elaborate recipes, but still, it was great to have him do some of the cooking and he was good at it. And they went for beef tonight because Paddy would be doing the big turkey on Christmas day. And to top things, Aaron had insisted on baking a caramel pudding. Now, Jackson hadn't been sure about that, but still, he thought there's still cookies in the jar if the pudding doesn't work out. In the end, dessert was amazing, even Aaron was surprised!

"The chef did a great job," Jackson complimented, "thank you. Wonder how much tip I should leave?"

"How about the chef chooses the tip he wants?" Aaron replied with mischief in his eyes and one of the sexiest smiles on his lips.

"Name your pleasure," Jackson said, knowing full well what Aaron had in mind. They were on the couch in the living room. Aaron leaned over his boyfriend and started kissing him, gently at first, but the intensity of their embrace increased as they continued. Their tongues touched and their hands were caressing each other's face. Jackson brought his hands over Aaron's muscular back and pushed him down on him so their bodies would be together. With Aaron lying on him, he brought his legs up on Aaron's buttocks and applied pressure, their intimate parts grinding and starting to provide pleasure. Their kissing continued until they needed to pause for air. Aaron looked into Jackson's eyes and studied him briefly, "Here or in the bedroom?"

"In the shower, actually," Jackson replied with a devilish look in his eyes and a low voice.

"You kinky sod," Aaron replied, smiling, his breath warm against Jackson's lips. He wanted Jackson so much right there and then. The young mechanic took his boyfriend's hand, pulled him up from the couch and brought him against his body. Holding him gently, nuzzling his face in his neck, kissing and biting lightly, he said, "You want another brush with pleasure?" remembering one of their episodes in the shower where he had used a brush to provide pleasure to his boyfriend. Jackson replied with a husky voice, "That and more."

"Let's go, then." They went upstairs, leaving a trail of clothes from the landing to the bathroom door. They stumbled together, kissing, their hands feeling over each other's body. The shower had been turned on and the room was getting steamy. They stepped into the shower stall and continued kissing, letting their hands roam freely over hard cocks and tight buttocks.

"I want you to fuck my brains out, Jackson, I want you badly." Jackson was only too happy to oblige. He started by pinching Aaron's nipples, arousing them, making them hard. The young builder leaned and kissed them in turn, lightly biting them, making Aaron moan in pleasure, making him hiss loudly. Sometimes, Jackson's bite was harder and the pleasure was more intense. While kneeling carefully on the floor, Jackson trailed his tongue on Aaron's stomach, licking his skin, leaving kisses here and there, to finally arrive at his hardened cock. He grabbed it and used his tongue to play with the head. He applied a slow, up and down movement, and licked the head when it was uncovered from under the foreskin. Jackson would occasionally bring up the foreskin at the top of Aaron's cock and dig his tongue inside, darting the tip of this tongue into the piss slit, then moving it around and under the edge of the head, causing excitement and pleasure.

He pulled the foreskin down again and, instead of using the brush, he brought his cheek against Aaron's cock, rubbing the stubble of his beard against the sensitive skin of the underside. Jackson did that a few times, going up and down and occasionally going way up behind the cockhead, where the skin is most sensitive and applying a gentle pressure with his chin. Aaron would gasp, the sensation a mix of pleasure and slight pain. Aaron was so hard and if Jackson kept it up, he wouldn't be able to last. Jackson realised Aaron was on the brink so he stopped what he was doing and turned him around, making him face the wall.

Jackson brought his face to Aaron's buttocks and proceeded to whet his hole in preparation for what was to come. Aaron was moaning again in pleasure. Sensing his boyfriend was ready, Jackson grabbed some lube from a bottle they kept in the stall and applied it to Aaron's hole then to his own cock. Standing up behind Aaron, he brought the tip of his cock to Aaron's hole and slowly pushed in, easing through the tight muscle ring. Once inside, he stayed there for a moment, getting used to the tightness and the heat that was Aaron's body. Jackson then started a back and forth motion, making sure to hit Aaron's pleasure spot. After a few minutes, Jackson sensed he was about to explode, so he reach around and grabbed Aaron's hard cock and started pumping it in unison with his own in-and-out movements. He wanted the two of them to come at the same time. As the pleasure intensified for both of them, Aaron groaned and said he was close, he turned his head and Jackson reached up and kissed him. As they were kissing, Jackson suddenly started shuddering, his whole body tensing yet experiencing pure pleasure as he shot his load up into Aaron. Feeling his boyfriend coming into his ass brought Aaron beyond the edge and he shot his load, some of it dribbling on Jackson's hand. Seeing that, he took his boyfriend's hand and brought it to his lips, licking the drops of semen that were clinging to the knuckles and fingers. With a taste of himself on his tongue, he turned around to kiss Jackson and share in this very intimate moment, their tongues dancing and fighting and rubbing.

Aaron was still incredibly turned on. He cupped Jackson's face and kissed him for a long time, then ran his tongue along the edge of his lover's lips. The contact between his tongue and Jackson's lips was delicate yet very powerful. They both shivered, not out of being cold since they were kept warm by the water still flowing, but out of pure joy, pure physical and emotional connection. Aaron then put his arms around Jackson's shoulders and held him tightly, their bodies coming together.

After a moment, Aaron turned the taps off. Looking at Jackson, he said, "Let's dry ourselves, get dressed and you let me take you somewhere special, just for a bit."

"Outside?" Jackson replied, surprise written all over his face.

"Yeah, outside," he replied, chuckling.

"But it's freezing, and we're so warm here!"

"I know, you soft git, but it will be worth it." Aaron had noticed that the night was clear and that the moon was out. Yes, it was going to be cold, but they had warm clothes. Besides, he wanted to take Jackson out and have one of those special moments with him. He also had something else in mind.

"OK, but only you would make me go along with such a crazy plan!"

All warmly dressed up, the boys left Dale Head, Aaron holding Jackson's hand in his. He was leading his boyfriend to the cricket pavilion. As they walked up to the small building, he put his free hand into his coat pocket to check for something, which he found.

Once there, they sat on the porch and Aaron pulled a flask of vodka out of his inside pocket. He still liked that stuff, from time to time, and after opening it and taking a swig off it, he handed it to Jackson.

"Are you serious?"

"It'll you keep warm. If it doesn't work, I'll take you in my arms, although considering the temperature, I'm not sure how well it will work!"

"Why are we here, freezing our bits off on Christmas Eve?" Jackson asked his boyfriend, his voice soft but shivering a bit with the cold.

"I wanted us to be here, tonight, together. How many times have we come here, together or separately, after good times, just to talk, after arguments when you couldn't see that I was right…" He bumped his shoulder against Jackson's as he said that, and Jackson responded by leaning into him and kissing him.

"You're an idiot," Jackson said with a smile, his mouth still close to Aaron's lips.

"I know, but I'm _your_ idiot. I also know you wouldn't trade me for anybody else. And when I think of the past months, I can't help but feel fortunate."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, there's Ray and what happened to him, then there's Scott and his crazy father. There's us, we've been happy, we've had everything go well in our lives, that's certainly something to be grateful for, isn't it? And we were able to help these guys a bit. Surely that must count toward making us happy? They were strangers who became part of our lives, I can't help but think this is a good sign or something."

Jackson didn't answer. He simply looked into Aaron's eyes. In the moonlight, with the darkness that surrounded them, his eyes were sparkling, they were alive with emotions and sincerity. He got up and came to stand in front of Aaron. He motioned for him to stand up. Once they were properly in front of each other, Jackson put his arms around his boyfriend and held him tightly, he was so touched by what Aaron had said. Indeed, they were happy, they had good friends around them, family, and that was precious, that was something to be grateful for.

"Yes, it is a good sign, Aaron, it is good that we were able to help these two young men, the same way people have helped us at some point. We owe it to the great balance of the universe, if you know what I mean. We have to do our share. People don't have to go through hell all the time. Good things happen to good people. Remember what happened to you?"

Aaron listened to what Jackson was saying; they were still holding each other tightly.

"Thank you for being here, with me, in the cold," Aaron said, smiling. "This moment, right now, with the moon as our witness, is special. I love you so much, Jackson. You are such a good person, you are so kind with me. I don't need any Christmas presents because, quite honestly, I have my present right here. It's you."

"Don't be daft!"

"It's true." Aaron's words were slow. He was truly happy and Jackson was the source of his happiness. Sure, they had their arguments and little fights, but who doesn't. They were always able to come to terms with the anger and to forgive each other. That's what love makes you do. That's what commitment allows you to do.

"I know it's going to sound soppy and rubbish," he continued, "but it's really how I feel, you make me feel like every day is Christmas day, because you are my gift. Every morning, I find you next to me and I feel so bloody lucky. No one else has that chance to be as happy as I am with you." A single tear, a tear of happiness, rolled down his cheek.

"Don't you go thinking you're the only lucky one. Don't you know by now how much you make me happy, how much you make me smile every day?"

"Yeah, I suppose," Aaron replied softly, "and I do have my moments…"

"Yes, and they are few and far between, but when they happen, they're fantastic," Jackson replied, jokingly, tightening his hold on Aaron.

Letting go a bit, Aaron looked into Jackson's eyes, "Walsh, I'm going to ignore that dig, just because I love you."

Then, reaching into his coat pocket, Aaron took out a small blue velvet box, but kept it hidden in his hand. He took a deep breath. "We've been together five years now, we seem to make each other happy, we seem to want to be together for… forever. At least, I know I want to be with you forever." He was so nervous, but at the same time, he knew it was the right move. He brought the small box into the moonlight and opened it, showing Jackson its content. Two silver rings, plain and simple, but yet elegant and very meaningful.

Jackson gasped, he certainly was not expecting this, however, in his heart, he was prepared for it. He had his answer ready.

"Jackson, I don't know that I want to get married, you know, in the traditional way, but I want to make a commitment to you, I want to show you how much you mean to me and how much I love you. So, I want to offer you this ring as a sign of my true feelings for you and ask you if you'll stand by me and let me show the world how important you are to me?"

Jackson had forgotten how cold he had been. Right now, he felt so warm inside. His eyes were fixed on his boyfriend's face, his vision was blurred a bit by the tears that were forming in his eyes, but he was smiling broadly at him, which told Aaron in a way that the answer might be yes! Aaron still hadn't heard his boyfriend's answer, but in his mind, in his heart, he was not afraid.

"I will, as long as you will let me do the same for you. You mean the world to me, Aaron, and you do make me happy. You make my heart skip a beat when I see you, your smile brightens my crappy days when they are crappy. You really bring meaning to my life. Don't underestimate yourself, you are so precious to me, and to other people as well, but you are most precious to me. Yes, Aaron, I will stand by you."

Aaron's face broke into the biggest smile when he heard these words, he couldn't have been happier. With the moon standing guard above their heads, Aaron took one ring out of the box and slipped it on Jackson's ring finger. He then took his boyfriend's hand and brought it to his lips to kiss the ring and the finger it was encircling. Jackson took the other ring and did the same for Aaron. To seal the deal, they kissed each other then held each other tightly.

"Thank you, Aaron, thank you," Jackson said, his voice a little shaky, emotions starting to show. "I am a very happy man tonight."

"It makes two of us," Aaron replied, tightening his hold on Jackson. "Happy Christmas!"

TBC


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

_Hope House, Christmas Day._

Anita saw him coming through the door, followed by Ray. She came out of the kitchen to greet him warmly.

"Scott, how lovely to see you again. Merry Christmas!" she said as she gave him a big hug. "And I see you've brought an assistant, now who is this gorgeous young man?"

Anita was the manager of the soup kitchen, she knew all the volunteers by their first name, she was cheerful, energetic but also very compassionate. She could listen to people and their troubles and she could also find a way to lift their spirit. Life had taught her a lot and she was strong. She'd made it through some tough times but she was in a better place now, had been for the past many years. She had said she needed to give back, she wanted to help people because people had helped her when she was in need of support.

Scott was slightly blushing at her exuberance but he quickly recovered. Turning to Ray, he introduced him as his close friend. The way he looked at him when he said that, the fondness in his eyes and his words, Anita knew he was more than a close friend but she intended to respect Scott. She could feel this was new territory for him, for both of them, and she was not going to make a fuss.

"Welcome, Ray, I'm very glad you came, we need all the help we can get. And Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas, Anita. Very nice to meet you. I look forward to helping, but this is all a bit new, as you can imagine," Ray said as he surveyed the room.

"I'm not worried about you, Scott will help you figure out what needs to be done and next thing you'll know, the whole thing will be over. It's a lot of fun and very… heartwarming, shall we say," she added with a smile. She left them to return to the kitchen to supervise what was being prepared.

Making a Christmas dinner for about 150 persons is a lot of work, but she could count on some steady volunteers, women who were always by her side. The turkeys were soon coming out of the ovens, there were large pans of vegetables and potatoes ready to be served. Someone was getting cranberry sauce and gravy ready and a few other ladies were preparing the desserts – cake and pies and ice cream.

The tables were set. Long tables with benches and chairs on either side, table clothes on each one, decorative centerpieces, candles. It actually looked quite inviting. Christmas music was playing on speakers and the mood was upbeat and festive.

Around quarter to twelve, the doors opened to welcome men and women of all ages. A lot of them knew each other, street people form a tight-knit community. A couple of volunteers were at the door to welcome them. Scott's dad was one of them. He and his father had spoken briefly a moment ago; Ray and Gordon had met again, Gordon being quite hesitant to extend his hand to Ray, still feeling ashamed for his behaviour a number of months ago. The events were now in the past, so Ray was being welcoming, it was Christmas, after all. Gordon had been awkward about it, and it was his own fault, but he managed a smile and he thanked Ray for coming along. He told him it was very generous of him.

Once everyone had found a seat, dinner started being served. An army of volunteers came out of the kitchen to distribute plates of food, putting them gently in front of everyone, saying a few words, smiling. They worked in teams of two, one holding a tray with several plates on it and the other serving. This was a happy occasion, this was an opportunity to make these people feel special, and serving them was part of the effort. Normally, people would come to the counter to be served, cafeteria style. As soon as their trays were empty, the volunteers would go back to the kitchen to get more plates of food and this finely choreographed ballet continued until everyone was served.

Scott and Ray worked together on that day. On more than one occasion, Ray served guests who were in their twenties for sure. He would look at them, smile, exchange a few words, but inside, he was crying. He was wondering what they were doing here, so young. What went wrong? What happened to them? Where were their families? Scott noticed how Ray was reacting, how his smile would fade slightly after he served a couple of these younger men. Ray seemed affected by their plight.

During dinner, a local choir performed Christmas songs and everyone joined in the singing. The atmosphere was cheerful, even for people who had nothing, and nothing to go back to. They appreciated the moment and were making the best of it. Some clients, as they were sometimes called, were regulars, so they knew the staff and they enjoyed a little chat with them.

Then came Santa. He was a big jolly old man who actually carried a large sack on his shoulder. It was loaded with small boxes carefully wrapped, and there was one for each of the men and women at the dinner. The boxes contained basic toiletries, mittens or gloves, maybe a scarf, chocolates, warm socks. The gifts were very much appreciated, there were smiles on all the faces. For a brief moment, these people realised someone had thought of them.

Ray couldn't help but feel sad at the sight in front of him. Scott had seen it before, and he was less affected by it, but Ray had a difficult time coping with it. However, he took a deep breath and carried on. Now was not the time to show how ill-prepared he was to deal with some of life's harsh realities. Poverty, drug addiction, mental health were some of the issues that plagued these men and women. These were realities that were not familiar to Ray, although he was not totally ignorant of them. Seeing them, personified in the eyes of these people, in their faces worn out by solitude, pain, loneliness, was a wakeup call for him. He was particularly touched by the younger men in the group.

Once the event was over, clean up took about an hour. With the army of volunteers still on hand, the tables and chairs were put away in no time, the hall was cleaned up and the kitchen was readied for tomorrow. Their work never stopped, the hungry would be back again, a sad reality of life for these folks.

Back in Scott's car, they sat for a bit. Ray shared his experience with Scott, telling him how saddened he had been by what he saw but, at the same time, happy to have been there, to have witnessed it, to have helped a tiny bit in the effort to lift the spirit of these people.

"I was really struck by this young man who came to shake my hand and thank me before leaving. He told me how grateful he was, this had been a very nice Christmas for him." Ray stared at Scott and he was unable to add anything. His eyes were fighting back tears, but he didn't want to cry. He didn't want to feel pity for this lad, it wouldn't have been right, but he certainly felt sad for him.

"Where did he go after the luncheon?" Ray asked. "It seems so unfair, he probably doesn't have a home if he comes to Hope House; he probably just roams around Pinedale, killing time until supper time. And then he looks for another shelter to spend the night."

"I'm sorry, I didn't want you to feel sad about this," Scott replied softly, seeing the distress in Ray's face.

"No, it's alright, I'm glad I came. It makes me appreciate my life a whole lot more. Makes me realise how lucky I am to have you with me, to have my parents, a nice home and all. I have a future, his is quite uncertain. It was an eye-opener."

Scott took hold of Ray's hand and held it tightly. "I'm also very lucky to have you, but I figured that out before I came here today. I've come to realise it a few months ago, and I'm very grateful. It's true that seeing how badly off some people are, seeing what a terrible hand life has dealt them, make you see how good you have it. But it's also good to do something about it, like what we did today. We're not going to solve their problems. But, we've done our part, others will do their part and somehow, these people will get the help they need at some point. At least you hope so. You can't feel down about it."

"I know. Thanks for keeping an eye on me today and coming to my rescue when I needed help."

"Hey, no worries. This is my fourth year, I'm a pro now!" Pausing for a moment, Scott looked into Ray's eyes, trying to gauge him, trying to figure out if he was OK to move on to the next event of the day, dinner at his parents.

"Ready to go to my parents' for dinner?"

"Yes, we said we'd go, so let's do it.

The Campbells' house was decorated for Christmas, there was a tree in the living room, but it was not as elaborate as in previous years, maybe a sign that things were a bit different.

Scott's sisters were there already, they greeted the boys at the door, welcomed Ray. They finally got to meet the boyfriend. They didn't grill him but they certainly asked a few questions in order to get to know him and to get the conversation going. Both of them were very nice to him and Ray enjoyed their company.

Gordon Campbell was there and he came to the door when he heard the boys arriving. He was pleased to see them both, made a point of welcoming Ray. Turning to Scott, he told him it was nice to see him back at home. He knew this was only a visit, but still, in his mind, he still considered this his son's home and was hoping that one day, the feeling would be mutual. Scott's mother also greeted them warmly. She gave her son a nice long hug, not having seen him for a few months now. After telling him he looked good, she quietly pointed out that his hand was almost completely healed. She was relieved.

Everyone gathered in the living room for pre-dinner drinks. Not sure how things would be going, Scott was thinking ahead. He would drink a can, slowly, drink water, maybe have another can with the meal, and then he'd still be alright to drive back if they needed to go back tonight. He encouraged Ray to have whatever he wanted, lager or wine.

Dinner was enjoyable, Mrs. Campbell had prepared a delicious, traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings, the girls had made pies and a Yule log that they had brought. Everyone ate too much, as usual. Conversation flowed well, not too many awkward, silent moments, but there were a few. Scott noticed that his father was looking at him and Ray occasionally, probably trying to get his head around the reality of his son and his boyfriend. He seemed alright, at peace with the situation, but he knew there were still questions going around in his head. Answers would come eventually. Right now, things were going well at the table, so Scott didn't worry.

In the early evening, after the meal was finished, things had been cleared away and dishes put in the dishwasher, the group returned to the living room. Gordon asked Ray about college, the program he was taking. Ray was glad to be able to talk with him a bit. He figured that it would help make things a bit more natural between the two of them. Throughout the evening, there was no mention of religion at all, except for having said Grace before the meal.

They talked about Ray's first time at Hope House. He shared his experience, told them how he felt, how it affected him, but was quick to point out that Scott had reassured him and explained how it was OK to feel a bit unsettled, but that helping today was one way to do something for these people. Ray mentioned how sad he was when he noticed the young men not that much older than himself, how he wondered what had happened to take them where they were today.

Gordon was impressed by Ray's sensitivity, by how grounded he was, how realistic his outlook was. He made a point of reinforcing how beneficial it was for these folks to be able to chat with him when he was serving them. "All they need, sometimes, is a friendly face and a bit of a chat," Gordon said, "a bit of human contact, something nicer that the usual rejection they get from people on the street who try to avoid them or who won't even look at them. They are still human beings, we just need to remember that." Ray agreed with him.

In the meantime, Scott was having a chat with his sisters, catching up on their latest professional accomplishments. They were glad to see their baby brother, see that he was doing well and that he seemed really happy with his boyfriend. They had known about him being gay for a while but when the situation arose at home a few months ago between their father and him, they had kept close contact with him by phone and by email. They had been worried, but when he told them about the arrangements at Ray's house, they were OK. They also agreed not to mention where he was living when they would speak to their parents. It had all been a bit difficult to handle for a while, they didn't want to seem like they were hiding something from their father, yet they knew it wouldn't be a good idea for him to know where he was, not yet. The had all agreed that the therapy should be a priority.

Scott was keeping an eye on Ray and his dad, making sure all was well in that corner. After about an hour or so, he came to sit next to Ray. Their knees touched slightly and they noticed it. They exchanged a quick smile. They also noticed that Gordon had seen that and that his face had changed a bit, he seemed suddenly uncomfortable. Pulling away, Scott decided that this was the moment he needed to ask Ray if he was ready to go. He had been careful not to drink over his limit, so he was fine to drive. As nicely as the afternoon and evening had gone, he knew he wasn't ready to stay the night. The visit had been good, but he wouldn't have been comfortable in the house. Sad to say, he thought. But that's how it was for the time being and he wasn't going to dwell on it. Besides, he wanted to sleep with Ray and they wouldn't have felt comfortable doing that in the family home. Another time, and he knew eventually his father would come around, at least he sincerely hoped so.

They said their goodbyes. Scott's parents and sisters had been very happy to see him and to have met Ray. Gordon exchanged a few words with Scott, told him he was making progress and he told his son how happy he was that he came for Christmas. It had really meant a lot to him. It was, in a way, a Christmas gift. He made to shake Scott's hand but, after a brief hesitation, Scott opened his arms and gave him a hug, a short one, but a heartfelt one. "Thank you, son, thank you," Gordon said in a low voice only for his son to hear it. Gordon and Ray shook hands and Gordon smile sincerely at him. He was truly glad he had met him, properly.

On the way back to Hotten, the boys talked about their time at Scott's parents. It had gone well, considering what they were fearing. But they had made the right decision to go back to their place. They wanted to spend some time together, this was their first Christmas and it meant a lot. Besides, they were going to be in their own place, well, Ray's place, but it felt like their own. And Scott certainly didn't take that for granted. He knew he was fortunate to be in this situation and he used every opportunity to thank his boyfriend!

With Christmas dinner at Scott's parents and the experience at Hope House earlier in the day, it seems this Christmas day was going to be one Ray wouldn't soon forget!

TBC


	35. Chapter 35

_**This is a much longer chapter than usual (sorry, Shawn!). I didn't really want to break it because I was afraid it might break the mood. So here it is, in all its glory, the conclusion of **_**Realisation**_**.**_

_**I hope you enjoy it and that you enjoyed the story. Again, a VERY BIG thank you to Mererid (friendoftheearth) for her encouragement and her valuable assistance in doing the beta work, and to Ginny (ginnynotonic) for originally suggesting I go with my own idea. It's been fun to write and very encouraging to read the comments from the readers. Indeed, thank you to everyone who took the time to read – reviewers and non-reviewers.**_

Chapter 35

Before going to Paddy's, the boys had a leisurely morning in bed. They were still on a high from the event of the previous night at the cricket pavilion. Jackson had recovered from the initial shock, albeit a most pleasant one, but he was still so chuffed by Aaron's gesture. His heart was just bursting with joy.

They finally made it out of bed and came downstairs to have a light breakfast and to open their gifts. Sitting on the sofa, each with a cup of tea, they took turn to bring their gift to their boyfriend.

Aaron was first to play Santa and he brought a heavy package that he put on Jackson's lap. For once, Jackson had no idea what it could have been. All Aaron said was not to shake it too much. Now, after hearing that, Jackson was very curious, so he opened the package carefully. His reaction was priceless, he was like a kid in a sweet shop. In this gift box were three expensive bottles of wine that he had seen and considered at the wine tasting he attended with Mark. Considering their price, he had chosen something less expensive but still good, although he had wanted them so much. Well, they were now sitting in his lap.

"How did you manage that?"

Aaron smiled at Jackson, very proud of himself. "I asked Mark to pick up some nice stuff he knew you'd like and I managed to get them from him without you being around. Did you notice there is even one called Jacksons Limited Release pinotage? And I can even pronounce the word!"

Jackson laughed at that comment, he still remembered the conversation they had on the very same sofa a few months ago. "Yes, I noticed, and it's an amazing wine. Thank you so much, this is great. What a smart idea you had." He leaned in and kissed him, smiling at him and losing himself in the sparkling blue eyes that were staring back at him.

Pulling away slowly, Aaron didn't miss a beat, "So, what did you get me?" He was excited like a kid. Jackson liked that in him, the sense of fun. He could be serious, but he could be foolish too, and they enjoyed that in each other.

Jackson went under the tree and brought back a box, a bit smaller than a shoebox. Aaron ripped the paper off, took the lid off the box and brought out a nifty wireless computer mouse that was actually a fine scale model of a red Lamborghini. It was beautiful, it was fun, but it was only a flippin' computer mouse! Aaron's facial expression was a picture Jackson would never forget. He figured Aaron was expecting more than a silly computer mouse, but he was not really going to say he was disappointed. His eyes were going between the mouse and Jackson, who had that silly grin on his face. "You're winding me up, aren't you?" Aaron said. He could see it in Jackson's eyes.

"If you could see your face right now," Jackson said, laughing like an idiot. "Of course I'm winding you up. There's tissue paper in the box, keep digging."

Aaron removed the tissue paper and found an envelope at the bottom of the box. It was a gift certificate for a one-hour driving experience on closed circuit at the facility in Liverpool. It was with the same company that was at the car show Brian and Aaron attended back in September. He will have his choice among three luxury sports cars, the Lamborghini being one of them.

"This is brilliant, oh my god, this is brilliant! Thank you so much!" He jumped forward and took Jackson into his arms and gave him a big hug, then a long, tender kiss. "We can make it a day, go up for that, then have lunch somewhere and visit around. What a great idea you had."

"It's a good thing Brian noticed how interested you were by the driving experience at the show, even though you decided not to do it. So he helped me get this for you."

"What would we do without our friends?" Aaron said. "He for that and Mark for the wine."

"Without them, the computer mouse is all you would have gotten and I would have gotten a jug of rotgut!"

* * *

Christmas day in Emmerdale had been a joyous affair. After opening their gifts, Aaron and Jackson had gone to Paddy and Rhona's for dinner.

The boys were proudly wearing their rings and the two of them made a point of holding their cans in a way that made their rings evident to their hosts.

"This is new," Paddy said pointing to the ring on Aaron's finger.

"Look at Jackson's hand," exclaimed Rhona, all excited, putting her hands to her mouth as an expression of surprise when she noticed it. "Did you guys… get married or something and you didn't tell anyone?"

Aaron was now smiling broadly. "No, we didn't get married, but I offered Jackson the ring as a sign of my commitment to him," Aaron explained, very comfortable with this revelation, "and he accepted it." Joy was evident on his face, the big smile saying all that needed to be said. "It's a kind of engagement, I guess, but we're not planning on getting married any time soon."

Rhona and Paddy jumped to their feet, congratulating and hugging the two boys. They were so happy for them and Paddy said how very proud he was of Aaron to have done that.

Jackson told them, in general terms, what had happened the previous night at the cricket pavilion. Poor Aaron was blushing something furious, but he was so happy, he didn't care, he let his boyfriend tell them some of the story. He knew he wouldn't go into details. Besides, Jackson was so happy and so proud of him, Aaron didn't want to dampen his excitement.

Aaron was indeed pleased and proud of himself, well, proud of both of them, but he was particularly proud of himself. Only a few years back, he would never have thought that he would express his love for a man in such a public manner, but years of growing up with his fantastic boyfriend showed him that being himself, being true to himself was the way to go. It was the only way to live a real, fulfilling life. And Jackson was the man for him. He was thankful for his boyfriend's patience with him, for his understanding, the older man had been his guide and his rock. Today, the two of them were very much in love but they were also committed to each other, and that was an important next step for Aaron.

Their Christmas meal was delicious, they certainly ate and drank too much but they had a grand time together. Aaron also enjoyed spending some time with Leo and seeing how much progress the little boy was making.

After dinner was cleared and dished cleaned up and put away, Jackson went to the bathroom and Rhona was tending to Leo in his bedroom. Aaron and Paddy were by themselves in the kitchen. Paddy noticed that Aaron was in deep thought, he was somewhere else.

"A penny for them," Paddy said, a smile on his face.

Aaron smile at his dad. "You know, if you ever wondered about me finding happiness one day, well, don't wonder anymore, because I've found it, Paddy. I am truly happy, I'm happy in a way I never thought possible."

"I know, I can see it in your eyes, in your behaviour. And you have no idea the joy it gives me. Years ago, when you went through your troubles, in my heart, I knew that eventually you'd find your soul mate, you'd find the right person for you. And you have. But I wasn't going to tell you that then, you wouldn't have believed me!

"Yeah, you're right. I would have thought you were a right nutter. And remember, I didn't want to be gay!"

"I know, and I told you then that you didn't have a choice, you just were who you were. And thank God things went the way they went. In the end, you found Jackson and you found a good, happy and stable life. He's a good man, you know, he loves you to bits, and you two are made for each other. Come here," Paddy said, motioning for him to come closer, and he took him in a big hug. "I'm so very proud of you and I'm so happy for you, Aaron, I don't think you can imagine just how much."

"Thanks, dad." Aaron held his hug because he felt Paddy shaking a little bit and he knew then that he was fighting tears. That's why he held on to him, until Paddy was fine. Paddy pulled back, his face a little red, and he adjusted his glassed by pushing them back up his nose.

"You big softie!" Aaron said with a warm smile and soft punch on his arm.

Paddy gave him a smile. This was his boy, his pride.

* * *

_December 27__th__ at Dale Head_

A longer table had been set up in the living room to accommodate everyone. Aaron was determined that he would do beef Wellington for this dinner and he asked Marlon for some tips. Actually, Marlon offered to help him prepare it and all he'd be left with would be to cook it in the oven for the appropriate time. The rest was easy: carving, serving and taking all the praise!

Aaron was quite excited. It was a special dinner with their friends and he wanted it all to be as perfect as possible. Jackson took care of setting the table and decorating it a bit. He went for simple, yet elegant. He had put several large candles in the middle of the table, and the base of each candle was wrapped up with a gold and red ribbon. Some holly was draped among the candles to add a bit more colour.

A fire was roaring in the fireplace and everything was ready. Mark and Brian arrived around 6:30 p.m., arms loaded with gifts, lager and wine. Mark wasn't going to let beef Wellington go without a decent bottle of wine he knew he and Jackson would enjoy. Who knows, maybe Ray and Scott enjoyed a nice glass of wine, too. They'd soon find out.

Shortly after, Ray and Scott arrived. Not knowing exactly what to give their hosts, they had decided to bring along a flower arrangement similar to the one Scott had given Ray's parents. Aaron and Jackson thanked them for their generous gift. They found a nice spot on a table next to the fireplace, which actually wasn't far from the picture that Ray had given them.

"Looks like the flowers will have good company," Aaron pointed out to his friends as he pointed to the painting on the wall.

"That's a very beautiful portrait," Scott observed. "Who did that for you?"

"Your talented boyfriend did that amazing painting for us," Jackson piped in. "As a thank you for services rendered, apparently." Aaron and Jackson looked to Ray at the same time and smiled at him.

"Ah, now I remember," Scott continued, "he mentioned he'd done a little painting for you but he never said how beautiful it was nor that it was this elaborate." Turning to Ray, "You're quite an artist, sweetheart, I'm impressed."

It was the first time that Scott had called Ray 'sweetheart', and in front of other people. He thought this was a good time to do it, he felt comfortable doing it. As soon as he entered Dale Head earlier, he felt welcomed, the place was warm, it was giving good, positive vibes, and the four other people in the room were indeed thrilled to see him and Ray, so it encouraged him to be himself.

Ray reacted sweetly to this new, affectionate expression of Scott's feeling for him. He leaned into him and gave him a quick kiss on the lips, to which Scott actually blushed a bit, but it didn't matter. This was OK. He smiled. All these people here were his friends.

The six young men spent a little over an hour talking about their Christmas, the gifts received and the large amount of food they had eaten. Ray shared his experience at Hope House and they talked about the Christmas dinner he and Scott had at the Campbells'. Overall, Scott thought things had gone quite well. Progress was made with his dad, and that was good, he felt encouraged by that.

Eventually, 'the chef' went to the kitchen to get things ready. Seeing that, Jackson sprang into action, poured some wine into the glasses––even Aaron was going to have wine tonight––and the guests were invited to the table.

Aaron and Jackson were chuffed to have their friends over for this meal. Aaron told them about the menu and how he wanted to cook for them. Well, he had almost done everything, and he was honest about Marlon's contribution!

Jackson didn't miss the opportunity to say how good a cook his boyfriend had become lately and that they had been enjoying some very nice meals. Aaron was turning five shades of red… "Shut up, you!" he said, smiling warmly at his boyfriend.

"Remember, Aaron," Mark added, "the compliments are well deserved and you know it."

"Alright, alright, fine, but I want to make a toast before we eat."

Now, that caught Jackson's attention! This was a first and this was special, because he could see Aaron was serious.

"Well, for one thing, we're both really glad to have you here, it's great that you could come tonight. A lot of things happened over the past several months and they brought us together." Aaron paused for a moment, "I know I'm gonna sound soft right at the moment, but bear with me. I heard a line in a Christmas movie we were watching last week, it went like this…" and he pulled out of his pocket a folded piece of paper where he had written the line so he wouldn't forget it, "_Christmas isn't just a day, it's a frame of mind_. So today, it really is Christmas for us with you here, because this is about being together and celebrating the good things in life. And you guys are all good things in our lives. So let's raise our glasses to our friendship!"

"To our friendships," they all said in unison.

Jackson had listened to what Aaron said, he thought it was beautiful, and it expressed his own feelings, too. Aaron had surprised him again. He just loved him for these little moments.

Everyone took a sip of wine and then started their meal. Compliments were addressed to the chef who nodded and smiled. Conversation was going easily and soon they were working on their second and third glasses of wine.

"Brian and Mark have been our friends for many years," Jackson observed, looking at Ray and Scott, "but you two have found your way into our hearts in very quick and painful ways, so to speak, but we're glad to see things are much better now."

"I'll say," Ray responded, a smile on his face, "I would have preferred a gentler way of making friends but I guess you never know what life will throw at you. Life put you in my path and that was lucky," Ray said looking at Aaron and Jackson, "and then it put Scott in my path, that was even luckier!"

"I suppose we're both lucky, how about that?" Scott replied knowing very well where this was going. He was not going to win the battle of the luckiest bloke with his young boyfriend, so they would have to settle for both being lucky.

Mark enquired about Scott's hand.

"It's almost back to normal now, thanks," Scott replied. "I'm getting my strength back and there is no residual pain. I'll be fine.

Listening to the conversations that were going on around him, Brian noticed that these four young men had had a rough past few months but, through some weird luck, they all came out of it stronger and new friendships had be forged. Scott and Ray seemed to be well suited for each other. They seemed to have formed a bond with Aaron and Jackson and he really liked that. He and Mark had been friends with Jackson and Aaron for many years and they enjoyed their friendship, their kindness. But he thought that it was good to see other people now being treated to the same kindness and generosity. He was also looking forward to opportunities to get to know Scott and Ray even more.

The conversation had moved now between Jackson, Mark and Aaron. Scott was observing. Not so long ago, he was a teenager who was trying to come to terms with being gay, then came the difficult time with his father, but all through that, he was secretly hoping he'd find a boyfriend with whom to share his life. He never expected to find the boyfriend, his supportive parents and a few more friends who were more than happy to help him, to welcome him, to make him feel safe and loved. He suddenly realised how fortunate he was, even after what happened with his dad. His life was going to be good because he already had key elements to build on. He was excited about becoming a teaching assistant and his plans for his future were starting to shape up. This was good and these thoughts made him smile.

He hadn't noticed, but Ray had been looking at him out of the corner of his eyes, had seen the small smile on his face. Not sure what it was about, Ray tilted his head slightly and brought his hand under the table to put it on Scott's leg. Scott then came out of his reverie and smiled earnestly at his boyfriend.

"Where were you?" Ray asked. "What was that smile about? Thinking about your other boyfriend?"

"Oh no, one is enough trouble, thank you very much!"

"Hey!" Ray replied, faking a shocked expression. "You should consider yourself lucky to have me as your boyfriend."

"I do, don't worry." He leaned in and gave him a quick kiss.

For a moment, everyone was a bit quieter, finishing off their salad before moving on to dessert. Suddenly, Mark noticed the rings on Jackson and Aaron's hands. He looked at them with a smile on his face and his face was a big question mark.

"What's this," he said in a slightly loud and inebriated voice, pointing at Jackson and Aaron, "are you planning on telling us about the rings you're wearing? You didn't have rings before, so, come on. What happened?"

"Who proposed?" Brian asked excitedly.

Ray and Scott were smiling, they were all ears and so happy to be here when this was happening. Was there an engagement?

"Come on, guys," Scott added, "tell us."

Jackson looked at Aaron and asked him if he could share the good news. He was still so excited. Aaron agreed, of course. So Jackson went on to relate their little outing to the cricket pavilion on Christmas Eve, freezing their bits off under the watchful eye of the moon. His excitement was beautiful to see and their guests were so happy for them.

"I knew my life was going well," Jackson said, "but then I realised it was getting even better. I was happy before, I'm happier now. Thank you, Aaron." Aaron's reply was to lean in and kiss his boyfriend sweetly.

"Alright, this is big news, this needs to be celebrated properly, Mark said. Looking at Brian, he added, "I think I need to go to the car."

Jackson got worried. "You're not leaving, are you?"

"Oh no, don't worry, I'm just going to get something that happens to be right handy for the occasion." Earlier in the day, before driving over, they had stopped at their local off-licence and bought the wine, but Mark had seen a product he'd never seen before, a sparkling wine from Italy, a prosecco called Terre Gaie. How appropriate! The store was doing a tasting, so he tried it. A few sips were all he needed to convince him to buy a few bottles. It was easy on the tongue, flavourful and sweet in the mouth without being a sweet wine at all. Just perfect.

Coming back with a bottle, he showed it to Jackson who immediately agreed with him. It was indeed cold, considering this was December and the bottles had been sitting in the boot of their car, so it was ready to enjoy. Jackson got some champagne glasses they had in the back of a cupboard and set them on the table. He actually couldn't remember how they ever got champagne glasses, but they were there!

While Mark was taking care of opening the bottle and pouring the bubbly, Brian turned to Aaron and Jackson and gave them a serious look. The two of them immediately paid attention. They actually wondered what was on his mind.

"OK, guys, this is a great occasion, a beautiful occasion. Would you do us a big favour?" Brian asked. "It would certainly mean a lot to Mark and me, and I'm pretty sure it would mean a lot to Scott and Ray."

"What is it, then?" Jackson asked, totally unaware of what the request was going to be.

"First, give me your rings. Don't worry, I'm not gonna run with them. This is not a joke."

"You what?" Aaron asked, incredulous. Somehow, since he trusted Brian, he actually made a move to his hand, while looking at Jackson, and was about to remove his ring. "What are you doing?" Aaron asked again.

"Just trust me", Brian replied in a warm voice, a smile on his face.

Looking at each other, wondering what was to come, they agreed and took their rings off and gave them to Brian. The rings were identical, so it didn't matter if they got mixed together.

Now, with the rings in his hand, Brian stood up, "With the four of us here, four good friends who value your friendship a lot, would you give us the pleasure of witnessing a repeat of your commitment to each other?"

The boys were gobsmacked. They had no idea that was the favour he was going to ask. Aaron and Jackson looked at each other and thought for a moment. Aaron had a smile on his face, one that he usually sported when he was about to do something he would really enjoy. As for Jackson, his smile couldn't have been any bigger. Without saying anything, they understood each other and agreed to do that for their friends. They were actually glad to do it, to do it in front of people who meant so much to them.

Taking a look around at their friends, their faces illuminated by the warm glow of the many candles in the centre of the table, they got up and stood next to each other.

Aaron was actually the first to go. He took one of the rings in Brian's hand and then took Jackson's hand in his.

As he slipped the ring back on his boyfriend's finger, he looked lovingly at him and simply said, "Jackson, I give you this ring as a sign of my commitment to you, as a sign of my love for you. I hope that you'll let me stand by you and show the world how much you mean to me. I love you so much, Jackson." He took Jackson's hand and raised it to his lips to kiss the ring and the finger it was encircling.

Those words came out of Aaron's mouth so easily and naturally that Brian and Mark were left speechless. Well, Jackson was actually quite moved himself, his eyes were fighting back some tears.

Reaching for the other ring in Brian's hand, Jackson took it and then took Aaron's hand in his. Slipping the ring back on Aaron's finger, he looked directly at the sparkling blue eyes and said, "Aaron, thank you for the ring you gave me and the commitment it represents, but I can only accept it if you'll let me as well stand proudly by your side to show the world how much you mean to me. I've told you before and I'll say it again, I knew from the moment I laid eyes on you that you were the one for me. I'm still sure of that today. I love you, Aaron." Tears rolling down his cheeks, he brought Aaron's hand to his lips so he, too, could kiss the ring and the finger it encircled.

They kissed each other briefly. Aaron was so happy. Seeing the state of his boyfriend, he smiled at him and delicately wiped the tears away with his fingertips. They finally turned to their friends who all got up at the same time and raised their glasses to toast the couple.

"Thank you," Brian said, very grateful to his friends for accepting to do this.

For a brief moment there, it seemed each young man came to realise the positive in his life, the beauty of it, the challenges ahead, of course, but also that he had a companion with whom to walk on the path leading to his future. Each one of them would walk much more easily now realising his partner was by his side.

The moment had been very special for everyone, serious and touching, but the mood was soon going to get back to cheerful.

"Alright, muppets, I drank some of that bubbly, which isn't bad really, but I'll need a can soon," Aaron exclaimed in an effort to lighten up the mood.

"In time, in time," Jackson said, now back to his normal self. "Let's have desert first with some tea and then we'll get into the cans and some fun."

Their meal was fantastic and everyone congratulated Aaron for his work. They all ate too much, of course, but it was so good, they didn't care. After clearing everything, they removed the table from the living room, got some music going and more drinks were handed around.

But before the party got going for real, Ray got their attention because he wanted to say something. Scott was by his side. "I'll be brief. First, thank you for allowing us to witness your commitment. It means a lot to us, it really does. And I want to say thank you again for what you did for me in the Spring. Like you said earlier, it was a hard way of making it into your hearts but, hey, it worked!" he said jokingly. "But really, seeing you two, and also Brian and Mark here, it helps us see that it is possible to be happy and to enjoy life with the right person. Scott and I, we seem to think we're pretty much made for each other and it's inspiring, it gives us hope, because one day, it might be us who'll be exchanging rings in front of you." Turning to look at Scott, he added with a big smile, "And I would really like that." Scott had his arm around Ray's waist, and he responded to his boyfriend's last words by bringing him even closer and smiling broadly at him, "If you play your cards right!" he told him.

That comment got everyone laughing and a last toast was made to Aaron and Jackson.

"Well, if you two decide to do it," Jackson said, "we'd love to help you arrange it; we know a really nice little spot near a cricket pavilion that is quite romantic late at…ouch!" Jackson stopped abruptly when an elbow connected with his ribs. It was Aaron's elbow.

"You're such a comedian!" Aaron said, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, but I'm _your_ comedian." Jackson's reply came with a smile. He raised his drink, inviting Aaron to raise his, "To us."

"To us," Aaron replied.

THE END


End file.
